THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines yesterday appealed to the public to help protect the country’s lawyers and judges in the wake of the murder of Trece Martires City Assistant State Prosecutor Edilberto Mendoza on New Year’s Eve.
Mendoza, who was gunned down in front of his home in Cavite, is the 66th lawyer killed since 2016.
“On what should have been a cause for celebration as we bid 2021 goodbye and usher in the New Year, instead we once again come together in sadness and contemplation for the murder of another member of the legal profession,” the IBP said in a statement condemning the killing of Mendoza.
“The IBP once again calls for a nationwide effort to protect lawyers and judges. We cannot ignore the disturbing and increasing frequency of lawyer killings. We will not stand idly by and watch as many more of our brethren are attacked and murdered,” the IBP statement, signed by its national president Burt Estradad, added.
The group said they will assist and monitor the investigation into the killing of Mendoza and said it will continue to work with the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine National Police to address the rising incidents of attacks against its members.
“We also call upon the police and our investigative agencies to formulate and implement specific measures to improve the security of lawyers, judges and prosecutors and to expeditiously resolve its investigations on these killings so that the perpetrators are swiftly and truly held accountable,” the group said.
The DOJ has already ordered the NBI to conduct a case build up on the killing.
Of the 66 lawyers killed since 2016, 14 were current or former prosecutors while nine were retired judges or justice.
