NUPL: Human rights lawyer stabbed on head, shoulder in Iloilo City

A lawyer in one of the 37 petitions questioning the Anti-Terrorism Act before the Supreme Court was attacked on Wednesday night in Iloilo City, the National Union of People's Lawyers has said.

In a statement, the NUPL said it condemned the attack on Atty. Angelo Karlo Guillen who it said was stabbed on the head and shoulder. Two unidentified man reportedly carried out the attack.

"Atty. Guillen serves as counsel in various public interest and human rights cases such as one of the 37 petitions questioning the constitutionality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020," NUPL said.

"He also represents activists and human rights defenders facing trumped up charges in court," it added.

His clients included the activists arrested during the police raids in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental in October 2019 and the Tumandoks arrested in Panay in December 2020.

On Labor Day last year, he was arrested after responding to the illegal arrest of 42 activists who were protesting the extrajudicial killing of Bayan Muna Iloilo coordinator Jory Porquia.

"NUPL calls on authorities to promptly and properly investigate the attempt on the life of Atty. Guillen," the statement said.

The NUPL said it had recorded since June 2016 at least 54 killings of lawyers and judges that are prima facie related their work.

In December 2020, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, NUPL, and various legal groups raised concerns over the increasing and alarming incidents of attacks on lawyers before the Supreme Court. -NB, GMA News