MANILA, Philippines — In the first three months of 2023, two local government officials have been killed with the latest being Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo.
Even those who do not currently hold any position in government have been targets of violent assaults in the past months.
Since President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. took office on June 30, 2022, five ex-local officials were shot and killed.
In a 2023 survey by the Social Weather Stations, 50% of 1200 sampled or one out of two Filipinos said that they were afraid to walk the streets at night with the belief that it is not safe.