Mangondato, Montemayor say EJKs happening for a long time already; Pacquiao promises probe
At least two presidential candidates, Faisal Mangondato and Dr. Jose Montemayor Jr., on Sunday said extrajudicial killings have been happening in the country for decades already.
At the second presidential debate organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Mangondato said hundreds of thousands had already lost their lives in Mindanao, where he came from, because of EJK.
"Ito pong EJK ay noon pa nangyayari dito sa aming lokal sa Mindanao," he said. "Matagal na ang panahon na maraming mga tao na namatay doon na hindi man lang nalaman dito sa Maynila ang pangyayari."
He added: "Hindi lang sampung libo, hindi lang dalawampung libo, kundi daang libo po ang namamatay."
Mangondato said in fighting crime, human rights and due process must be upheld.
"Kung may kasalanan man sila, dalhin sila sa hustisya at kung may parusa, ipatong sa kanila, ibigay sa kanila kung ano ang kaparusahan dahil po sa kasalanan," he said.
'No one will deny it'
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As for Montemayor, there is no doubt that EJK is happening in the country.
"Very obvious naman," he said. "You don't need further investigation to affirm it. Meron pong tinatawag diyan 'res ipsa loquitur' — the thing speaks for itself. Walang taong magde-deny niyan."
Montemayor lamented that due process is presently no longer observed. "The government is committing human rights violation right and left," he alleged.
For his part, Senator Manny Pacquiao vowed that if he becomes president, he would order a thorough investigation on the extra-judicial killings in the country.
Despite this, Pacquiao said he would continue the Duterte administration's campaign against illegal drugs, which human rights organizations have linked to EJKs.
"Pero hindi ko papatayin yung mga user diyan. Ang papatayin ko at i-public ko pa [ay] yung nagpasok dito ng droga dahil sila ang salot, sila ang dapat parusahan," he said.
Pacquiao said under his administration, policemen and soldiers will be protected, but not to the point that abuse would be tolerated.
"I-balance natin, yun po ang magiging sitwasyon sa pang-gobyerno natin," the former world boxing champion said. —Mel Matthew Doctor, Joviland Rita and Richa Noriega/KBK, GMA News
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