Group bewails attacks on judges, lawyers

TARLAC CITY — A group called the Committee for the Defense of Lawyers (CODAL) said the growing attacks on lawyers and judges "constitute a threat to the rule of law."

In a manifesto, the group said the incidents are "reminiscent of the martial law years (and) have severe implications on the legal profession."

Most of the victims were "those who had taken up the cudgels for the poor and oppressed," CODAL said.

Since April last year, the group said six lawyers have been assassinated, namely, Victoria Mangapit-Sturch, Juvy Magsino, Teresita Vidamo, Edgar Calizo, Arbet Sta. Ana-Yongco and Fidelino Dacut.

Three judges were also slain last year, namely, Paterno Tiamson of the Binangonan (Rizal) Regional Trial Court (RTC); Voltaire Rosales of the Tanauan City (Batangas) RTC; and Milnar Lammawin of the Tabuk (Kalinga) RTC.

Early this month, lawyer Ambrosio Matias and his son, Leonard, a law student, were murdered in Nueva Ecija.

Two other lawyers — Charles Juloya and Armando Cabalida — survived attempts on their lives, CODAL said.

Early this year, human rights lawyer Romeo Capulong, an ad litem judge of the United Nations, was purportedly "the subject of a suspected assassination attempt" in his hometown of Sta. Rosa in Nueva Ecija.

According to CODAL, attacks on lawyers and judges "undermine the practice of law and the ability of lawyers to fulfill their sworn obligation to serve their clients to the fullest."

On the other hand, the killings and harassment of judges "subvert the independence of the judiciary (to) resist any pressure from whatever source," it added.

It was the Netherlands-based International Association of People’s Lawyers (IAPL) that first noted the "alarming" number of killings of lawyers and judges in the country.

Because of this, the IAPL tagged the Philippines as the "most dangerous place" for members of the legal profession.

The New York-based Committee for the Protection of Journalists has similarly declared the Philippines the "most dangerous place" for journalists, next to war-torn Iraq, due to the increasing number of attacks on Filipino media practitioners.