Prosecutors allowed to wear black outfits

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has asked government prosecutors to remain strong despite the continued armed assaults against their fellow prosecutors.

Aguirre showed his support in his letter to Prosecutors League of the Philippines (PLP) president Marylin Cynthia Fatima Luang.

“The undersigned strongly condemns the series of killings of prosecutors which is considered an attack to the justice system,” read his letter to Luang dated October 3.

“Prosecutors must not fear this kind of unfortunate event but must remain steadfast and strong in fulfilling their duties,” Aguirre said.

In the same letter, Aguirre said he granted the request of Luang to allow prosecutors nationwide to wear black “to express solidarity and condemn the series of killings of prosecutors.

We are outraged by these unfortunate and untoward events exposing government prosecutors to risks and perils of being ambushed and killed as we share the grief and sorrow of the families of these senseless incidents.

Meanwhile, the PLP called on President Rodrigo Duterte and Aguirre to resolve the series of killings against prosecutors and bring to justice those behind these.

“The Prosecutors’ League of the Philippines does not tolerate any form of repression. Such brutality will not weaken our resolve as prosecutors for the People of the Philippines,” the PLP said in a statement.

“We call on the President of the Philippines, who is himself a former Prosecutor, and the Secretary of Justice to direct the proper authorities to conduct a thorough and speedy investigation on the series of killings of Prosecutors and bring those responsible to the bar of justice,” it urged.

Six prosecutors have been killed under the Duterte administration, namely, Assistant Provincial Prosecutors Reymund Luna, Maria Ronatay, and Alexander Sandoval; Assistant State Prosecutor Diosdado Azarcon; Assistant State City Prosecutor Noel Mingoa; and City Prosecutor Rolando Acido.

Two other prosecutors were ambushed but managed to survive the attacks, namely, City Prosecutors Manuel Tesiorna and Antonio Buan.