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Thursday, March 28, 2024

NBI zeroes in on four persons as Pizarro slay ‘near solution’

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Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he expected the National Bureau of Investigation to solve the mystery behind the abduction and killing of retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, whose remains were found seven days after he was reportedly missing on October 23.

GRIEVING, DEFIANT. Members of National Union of People's Lawyers rally in front of the Supreme Court, expressing concern over recent attacks on lawyers and judges, including the death of retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro as announced Monday. Norman Cruz

“The NBI is still investigating, but this will be solved very soon,” Guevarra said in a text message to reporters.

“The NBI is focusing on four persons of interest. One of them is willing to divulge what he knows,” the Justice Secretary stressed.

At the same time, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on Tuesday condemned what he described as “barbaric” murder of Pizarro.

“The killing and murder of any person is never tolerated by our laws. In fact, our courts will always condemn it,” Peralta said in a statement.

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“I ask our law enforcement agencies to press on with their investigation so that the perpetrators of this barbaric act can be caught and brought to justice,” he added.

According to Guevarra, the NBI was looking at all possible angles, including Pizarro’s previous work in the Court of Appeals.

Guevarra earlier confirmed that the remains found in Capas, Tarlac last October 30 were Pizarro’s after the NBI conducted DNA texts and other analyses on the cadaver.

“The NBI forensic chemistry division report showed a 99.99 percent DNA match,” Guevarra said.

The NBI said its initial investigation showed that Pizarro was killed in Tarlac seven days before he was found dead last October 30.

The top magistrate issued the statement after the NBI confirmed the cadaver recovered in Capas were Pizarro's remains.

“I also extend my sincerest condolences and sympathies to the family of retired Court of Appeals Justice Normandie Pizarro,” Peralta said.

Meanwhile, members of National Union of Peoples' Lawyers and Concerned Lawyers for Civil Liberties on Tuesday condemned the spate of killings involving lawyers, including the murder of Pizarro.

The NUPL and CLCL members staged a protest rally outside the Supreme Court, while holding placards containing a long list of work-related killings of lawyers since 2016.

The groups submitted a letter to the Supreme Court expressing alarm over the spate of killings of lawyers as they demanded justice for the victims by making those responsible for the killings accountable.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines also called on the government authorities to stop the killings and to end impunity.

"The unabated killing of lawyers, too often with impunity, is a sad reflection  of the spiraling violence and disregard of, if not contempt for the rule of law in our land," the IBP said in a statement.

Guevarra said he would request a meeting with the IBP leadership in the coming days “so that we could coordinate our action.”

“I will invite the leadership of the IBP in the coming days to discuss their concerns and coordinate our action to address the increasing number of killing of lawyers, judges and prosecutors,” Guevarra stressed.

The mandatory lawyers’ group stressed the need for concerted efforts of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the government in ensuring the safety of lawyers in the country and justice for those who perished in previous killings.

"We appeal to those who have been entrusted with great authority, power and public funds to do more, better and faster lest shocking situations where law enforcers/peace keepers readily and publicly shoot helpless unarmed neighbors-mother and son become the norm," it said.

Some senators have filed resolutions seeking a legislative inquiry into the series of killings of lawyers, doctors, activists, and other members of the community, to break the culture of impunity in the country.

In the Senate, meanwhile, senators said the killing of a woman and her son by a police sergeant in Tarlac highlighted the prevailing culture of impunity among law enforcement agencies that should never be allowed to persist.

Senator Joel Villanueva said he and several senators had sought a public inquiry into the spate of unresolved, unlawful killings of citizens, including doctors, lawyers, journalists, and other advocates in different parts of the country, to break the cycle of violence perpetuated by the culture of impunity.

“No words can capture the outrage we feel over the cold-blooded murder of a mother and her son in broad daylight by a police officer who took an oath to serve and to protect the people.”

Given that the suspect is now in custody, Villanueva said they expected that the PNP leadership would leave no stone unturned and ensure that they would see through the filing of the case against the suspect until justice is served.

“We must put an end to the culture of impunity once and for all,” he said.

“We cannot let our workers such as doctors, lawyers, journalists, advocates, and even ordinary citizens live in fear and insecurity, and suffer senseless deaths,” added Villanueva, chair of  the Senate labor committee.

Villanueva, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senators Sonny Angara, Nancy Binay, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Grace Poe filed Senate Resolution 600 on Monday afternoon.

They are seeking a public hearing into “the series of unlawful killings of citizens, including doctors, lawyers, journalists, and members of other professions, with the end in view of identifying gaps in law enforcement, ensuring the attainment of justice for all victims, and breaking the culture of impunity, especially among law enforcement agencies.”

Aside from the fatal shooting of Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony in Tarlac on Sunday afternoon, the resolution also cited the various unresolved killings of doctors, lawyers, journalists, and other advocates in different parts of the country.

Dr. Mary Rose Sancelan, health officer of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental who was shot dead on Dec. 15 by unidentified assailants, headed the COVID Task Force in their town. Her death decreased the number of physicians in Central Visayas, which has 2.43 doctors for every 10,000 population, according to the resolution.

The resolution also mentioned the unresolved killings of other doctors:

-Dr. Dreyfuss Perlas, a Doctor to the Barrio volunteer in Sapao, Lanao del Norte in March 2017 (Region 10 doctor-to-population ratio 1.93 is to 10,000 population),

-Dr. Shahid Sinolinding in Cotabato City in April 2017 (Region 12) doctor-to-population ratio 1.61 is to 10,000 population)

-Dr. George Repique, provincial health officer, in Cavite in July 2017 (Region 4A doctor-to-population ratio 1.7 is to 10,000 population)

-Dr. Zuriele Arambulo, a Doctor to the Barrio volunteer in Santiago, Agusan del Norte, in February 2019 (CARAGA region doctor-to-population ratio 1.61 is to 10,000 population)

“All the doctor-to-population ratio in the regions where these slain doctors were killed are very low, and are way below the ideal ratio of 10 doctors to 10,000 population,” the resolution stated.

The country has a present doctor-to-population ratio of 3 to 10,000 population, according to health department data.

The resolution also mentioned the separate killings of lawyers Eric Jay Magcamit, Joey Luis Wee, Baby Maria Concepcion Landero-Ole, Manila chief inquest prosecutor Jovencio Senados, journalists Ronnie Villamor and Virgilio Maganes, activist Zara Alvarez, National Democratic Front of the Philippines peace consultant Randall Echanis, and NDFP former consultants Agaton Topacio and Eugenia Magpantay.

“The series of killings in the past six months of at least 15 people from members of various professions, including lawyers and journalists, and other members of the community, exacerbated by the fact that justice remains elusive for the victims and their families, highlight the need to launch an inquiry, in aid of legislation, to identify the gaps in law enforcement,” the resolution read.

The NBI explained that it needed to run DNA tests and other analyses on the cadaver since its fingers had been cut off, rendering fingerprint identification impossible. His hand was also amputated.

“Our DNA test results showed that the cadaver recovered in Tarlac are the remains of retired CA Justice Normandie Pizarro. Dental evidence gathered by our forensic team matched with the dental records of the former member of the CA,” NBI Director Eric Distor said.

“The NBI forensic chemistry division report showed a 99.99 percent DNA match,” Guevarra said in a message to reporters.

Pizarro handled and dismissed cases filed against pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and former Palawan governor Joel Reyes.

The CA justice was last seen in Pampanga on October 23. He was reported missing by his relatives shortly afterward. On October 30, authorities found Pizzaro’s car abandoned in San Simon town, bearing traces of blood.

Last week, senators called for an investigation on the recent spate of killings and disappearances in the country, including that of Pizzaro.

The NBI vowed to continue its investigation of the case to determine who behind the murder of Pizarro the motive behind it.  

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