A civic group in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, has issued an urgent appeal to government authorities amid what it describes as a continuing pattern of killings in the municipality that remain unsolved.
Juan Calatrava Movement, led by its chairman Andoni Llantada Valencia, in a statement issued Wednesday, Nov. 12, said that despite years of repeated incidents of violence, no perpetrators have been prosecuted, fueling fear and a sense of impunity in the community.
The group questioned the continued absence of concrete progress in filing cases or identifying suspects behind the killings, asking whether the rule of law still prevails in Calatrava.
The statement called on local officials to take decisive and transparent action and urged the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to intensify investigations and arrest those responsible.
It also appealed to the Commission on Human Rights and the Department of Justice to monitor and expedite legal processes to ensure accountability.
The group said that every unresolved killing further erodes public trust, stressing that justice must be delivered to restore peace and protect residents from further violence.*