MANILA, Philippines — Local chief executives from the across the country have joined the condemnation of the shooting at Ateneo de Manila University on Sunday as they called on for a thorough investigation and for justice for the killing of former Lamitan Mayor Rose Furigay and others.
Marinduque Gov. Presbitero Velasco Jr., president of the League of Provinces of the Philippines, issued the statement on Monday.
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"On behalf of the 81 member provinces of the League and their respective governors, we collectively express our unequivocal condemnation on this useless and senseless attempt on the life of Mayor Furigay that has cost her life and that of two others," Velasco said.
Furigay, her executive assistant Victor George Capistrano and Ateneo security guard Jeneven Bandiala were killed in the shooting just before the graduation rites for the Ateneo Law School. Furigay's daughter Hannah was injured in the shooting but is reported to be recovering.
Dr. Chao-Tiao Yumol, the suspect in the shooting is in police custody.
"[W]e urge the Philippine National Police and other authorities to investigate this matter thoroughly to make sure that the perpetrators are brought to justice," LPP also said.
The League of Cities of the Philippines on Sunday also called for swift justice over the shooting, calling the act both cowardly and "a sobering call for vigilance and a cry for restoring peace and order."
In a statement signed by Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama, league president, LCP said city mayors "are more emboldened to continue to actively pursue efforts against criminality and and lawlessness to keep our cities and people safe and secure."
The shooting, which happened while a gun ban was supposed to be in place because of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address, has prompted shock and outrage although some YouTubers have sided with Yumol and some social media users have praised him for the killing.
Some social media users, including one linked to state-run PTV-4, put political color in the shooting by blaming it on "dilawans" and "pinklawans".
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