‘Socorro Ermae-Cabreres
Presigent
Cres DanD. Bangoy
Vio President
Robert Michael N.Razon
Secratary
Antoinette G. Principe
Treasurer
Lue 8, Sarona, J
‘ucitor
Martin 8. Dlora
Public Relation Officer
Board of Directors:
anuary Faye L sonar
Jessie Marvin G Moods
Jonathan Jocom
orci Mata
hime. Lopoe
Manuo P. Quibod
Immediate Past President
BEcOficio Momber
INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES
DAVAO CITY CHAPTER
Legal Resource Center, B. Aquino Hall of Justice Compound
ia St, Heoland, Davao City + Telefax Na: (02) 296-0070, 209-0753
‘email address lpdava00709%@ yahoo.com.ph
STATEMENT OF THE INTEGRATED BAR OF THE PHILIPPINES-
DAVAO CITY CHAPTER ON
THE MASS MURDER OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS IN
SHARIFF AGUAK, MAGUINDANAO ON NOVEMBER 23, 2009
The Integrated Bar of the Ph -s-Davao City Chapter strongly condemns the
abduction and mass murder of the group of innocent civilians in the town of Shariff Aguak in
Maguindanao Province on November 23, 2009. Reportedly, members of a political clan were on a
convoy of several vehicles to file their candidates” certificates of candidacy at the Commission on
Elections (COMELEC) office in Shariff Aguak accompanied by a number of media practitioners
and their two lady lawyers when they were waylaid by group of armed men allied with a rival
political clan, who later abducted and killed all those in the convoy.
‘The manner by which the crime was executed is the lowest of its kind as it clearly shows.
the depravity and the lack of respect for human life by the perpetrators. There is no legal nor moral
justification whatsoever for the mass murder of innocent civilians who have family members who
rely on them.
‘The IBP Davao City Chapter doubly denounces and deplores the killing of the two lady
Iawyers who were there to simply assist their clients in the practice of their profession and the
media practitioners who were also there to witness democracy at work. Reports of the rape and
‘mutilation of some of those killed seriously aggravate _ these terrible crimes and utterly have no
place in our civilized society governed by the rule of law.
We firmly appeal to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to exercise her utmost political
will by immediately ordering the leadership of the Philippines National Police and the Armed
Fores of the Philippines to conduct a thorough, swift and impartial investigation of these heinous
crimes and bring the perpetuators to the bars of justice ~ who ever are responsible. This gruesome
murders should and ought not to be dismissed and classified as simply another political killings
which is prevalent in our ever fragile democracy, for to do 50 is to degenerate in our political
maturity as a nation and worst, makes us complacent to think and act like the perpetuators
themselves who, in their sick and neurotic mind, think that democracy is won by the barrel of the
gun and the enormous wealth and power of those in power:
/
6 ets
ae
‘Chapter President
stig am
(Pivotal Moments in American History) Calley, William Laws - Jones, Howard - My Lai - Vietnam, 1968, and The Descent Into Darkness-Oxford University Press (2017)