Villarin pins blame in killing of two mayors on Duterte

Akbayan party-list Representative Tom Villarin pinned the blame in the successive killings of two mayors on President Rodrigo Duterte, who has allegedly issued a "free license" to kill.

In a statement, Villarin said that once the rule of law is abandoned, anyone with a gun and grudge has a "license to kill" without worrying about the consequences.

"The free license was given by President Duterte himself by making it clear that no one will face legal repercussions for the extrajudicial killings that are done in pursuit of his anti-illegal drug policy and tagged in the so-called Duterte’s reversed ‘Schindler’s list' where those in it are not for saving," he said.

On Monday, Tanauan City Mayor Antonio Halili was shot dead while attending the city hall's flag-raising ceremony.

A day later, General Tinio, Nueva Ecija Mayor Ferdinand Bote was also killed in an ambush in Cabanatuan City.

Villarin said the Filipinos might think that the situation is improving, but the killings only provoke a "self-reinforcing cycle of worsening insecurity, vigilantism, and counter-violence."

"Duterte is exploiting the public's insecurity and fear, and demonstrated by his willingness to go any length to get results," he said.

"Duterte’s attack against institutions upholding the rule of law has led to a weakened state and a population desperate for security thereby pushing everyone to bad decisions culminating to a vicious cycle of violence that destroys society," he added.

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano also expressed alarm on the successive killings of mayors.

"This just shows the climate of impunity that President Duterte himself created since assuming office. Tila nabibigyan ng lisensya ang sinuman na basta na lamang pumatay at walang takot na managot sa batas," he said.

"The murder of the two mayors inevitably creates an atmosphere that we are in a killing spree right now, he added.

Meanwhile, Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat Jr. blamed the killings on the government's war on drugs, which he said has emboldened individuals to disrespect the law and kill alleged drug users and pushers.

“Because nobody is being arrested then the criminal elements feel that they can get away with anything, even going now as far as killing more high profile individuals in broad daylight and in cold blood,” he said.

“Now they are selling their service cheap to anyone who holds a grudge without fear of being caught, and that is because they know or feel that there is really no commitment on the part of the authorities to go after them,” he added.

Malacañang has vowed justice and thorough police investigation on both the killing of Halili and Bote.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has instructed the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the killings of the two mayors. —KG, GMA News