The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Thursday raised deep concern over the slay attempt on another local official in Maguindanao del Sur.
“In line with its mandate, the CHR deployed a quick response team to conduct an investigation into this brazen attack,” it said.
“CHR strongly condemns any form of arbitrary attack against individuals. In the BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) region, where peace and stability are paramount, such acts of violence endanger not only lives and safety. but also the collective vision of sustainable security that has long been pursued,” it added.
According to the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government of the BARMM, the vice mayor of Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur, was shot in broad daylight on Feb. 24 while delivering a speech.
The CHR earlier denounced a similar incident in 2024 against another vice mayor in South Upi, Maguindanao del Sur.
The recurrence of such attacks underscores the pressing need for heightened measures to ensure the safety of communities and local officials in the area, the CHR said.
“The Commission acknowledges the efforts of local law enforcement agencies to resolve this matter,” it noted.
“As the country’s national human rights institution, CHR stands fully prepared to aid in uncovering the truth behind this attack, to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable under the law, and to prevent similar incidents in the future,” it added.
