Environmental lawyer murdered in Philippines police http://www.rappler.

com/nation/161782-
environmental-lawyer-murdered-philippines

A Philippine lawyer who specialized in investigating crimes against the environment has been ambushed
and shot dead, police said Friday, February 17.

The murder on Wednesday of Mia Manuelita Mascarinas-Green deepened concerns that the Philippines
is one of the world's most dangerous places for environmental campaigners, with more than 100 killed
over the past 15 years.

Four motorcycle-riding gunmen opened fire after surrounding a van being driven by Mascarinas-Green --
with her children and nanny in the vehicle -- near her home on the central island of Bohol, the authorities
said.

Mascarinas-Green was pronounced dead at a hospital but her children were unharmed, regional police
spokesman Senior Inspector Reslin Abella told AFP.

"The victim is a known environmental lawyer. Investigators are checking whether the attack had any link
to the cases she had handled in relation to environmental issues," Abella told the Agence France-Presse
by telephone.

"They now have the identity of at least one of the perpetrators and a hot pursuit operation is ongoing,"
she said without naming the suspect.

Abella said police were at the moment unaware if Mascarinas-Green had been threatened previously in
relation to her work.

Her children are twins, aged two, and a 10-year-old daughter, according to local media reports.

Her death brings to 112 the number of environmental campaigners murdered in the Philippines over the
past 15 years, according to Filipino environment monitor Kalikasan.

This includes 12 since President Rodrigo Duterte took office 7 months ago, Kalikasan said.

"Most of these cases remain unresolved as the government continues to ignore the threat against
environmental defenders," Clemente Bautista, its national coordinator told AFP

"What this means is that the perpetrators are emboldened to do it again and again because no one ever
gets caught."
Lawyer, pal slain in Manila By Rey Galupo (The Philippine Star) | Updated June 3, 2017 - 12:00am
http://www.philstar.com/metro/2017/06/03/1706108/lawyer-pal-slain-manila

MANILA, Philippines - A lawyer and his companion were shot dead in Manila Thursday night.

Elmer Mitra Jr., 38; Alvin Cruzin, 43, and a still unidentified companion were cruising in a gray BMW
(XDX-993) at the corner of Perez and Belen streets just before 10 p.m. when shots were fired inside the
vehicle.

The car skidded before hitting the gutter and turning over, witnesses said.

Closed-circuit television footage showed a man crawling out of the car from the backseat, then running
toward Apacible street.

Police officers said the man now considered the main suspect was wearing a blue T-shirt and cargo
pants. He was of medium build and at least 59 tall, they said.

Probers recovered four spent shells from a 9mm pistol, six bullets and a 9mm pistol with serial number
Z04575.

The victims identification cards were found in a brown bag. Mitra is a son of former Pasay City
prosecutor Elmer Mitra.

Lawyer shot dead inside church

BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO, TMT ON DECEMBER 20, 2016 http://www.manilatimes.net/lawyer-shot-

dead-inside-church/302872/

A LAWYER, a cousin of a peace negotiation consultant, and his bodyguard were gunned down at about
4.30 a.m. on Tuesday while attending the Misa De Gallo (Dawn Mass) in San Pablo town in Isabela
province.

A police report said lawyer Arlan Castaeda, 38, of San Pablo town and Melito Binag, 38, of Cabagan
town were inside the Catholic Church when two unidentified assailants appeared and fired shots at
them.

Castaeda and Binag did not reach the nearest hospital alive.

Castanedas cousin, Felix Randy Malayao, consultant in the Government of the Philippines and the
National Democratic Front peace negotiations, said he is saddened at the treacherous death of
Castaeda who once served as his pro bono counsel.

In his Facebook posts, Malayao said he is yet to establish the motive of the perpetrators in killing his
cousin and his bodyguard.

I could only surmise politics or something else. But I have yet to know. I have only received scant
information so far. That it happened inside the church is something else, he added.

Castaeda served nine years as municipal councilor of San Pablo town. His wife, Joanna, is currently a
member of the towns municipal council.
Surigao lawyers reject handling drug cases

By ROEL CATOTO - FEBRUARY 7, 2017 http://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2017/02/surigao-

lawyers-reject-handling-drug-cases/

SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/07 February) Drug suspects in Surigao del Norte may find themselves
without lawyers after the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Surigao City Chapter decided to desist
from representing them in all courts of the province.

In a press statement released Tuesday, lawyers as well as judges and prosecutors belonging to the group
said they came up with the decision after the killing of retired Regional Trial Court judge Victor A. Canoy
and the slay attempt on City Prosecutor Manuel Tesiorna.

Canoy was shot to death by assailants aboard a motorcycle on February 2 along Borja Street while
Tesiorna survived an attempt on his life also by motorcycle-riding gunmen just outside his house in
Barangay Canlanipa this city on Monday morning.

Tesiorna sustained four gunshot wounds in different parts of his body. On Tuesday morning, he was
airlifted to Cebu City for further treatment.

Atty. Noel Pangilinan, president of the IBP-Surigao del Norte Chapter told MindaNews on Tuesday via
telephone that some of their members had earlier withdrawn from handling drug cases.

Pangilanan said they will hold a motorcade and rally on Thursday, February 9, from the IBP Building in
Parola to the Surigao City Freedom Park where they will hold a program.

This rally will amplify our rage at the pointless violence targeting our colleagues in the legal profession.
These attacks are against the very foundation of the profession and the institution, to defend the
accused and the accuser alike, the statement said.

As officers of the Court, we reiterate our commitment to ensure that all citizens must be accorded due
process under the law, it added.

We are protesting the shallow understanding of the legal process, which prompted the accusation of
our colleagues as alleged drug coddlers and protectors because of the drug cases that have been
dismissed in their respective offices. We withdraw our representation from all drug cases staring today
until all perpetrators are apprehended. We will not be able to do out jobs if our lives and the lives of our
families are in peril, it said.

We call upon all Filipinos to echo our sentiments to the Supreme Court, to our Legislature, and to our
President, it said.

We seek justice for Retired Judge Victor Canoy and City Prosecutor Manuel Tesiorna.

Stop killing lawyers. Let us do our jobs as defenders of rights and due process, it added.
Lawyer, clerk shot dead in Cagayan province

by: Philippine News Agency | 27/09/2016 http://northboundasia.com/2016/09/27/lawyer-clerk-shot-

dead-cagayan-province/

TUGUEGARAO CITY A lawyer and a court clerk were shot dead by motorcycle-riding men at past 8
a.m. Tuesday in Barangay Matucay, Allacapan in Cagayan province, police said.

Joseph Allan Ragasa, a lawyer and acting clerk of court of Regional Trial Court-Branch 9 in Aparri,
Cagayan, and Francis Ugalino, a 36-year-old clerk in the same court sustained wounds in the head and
body.

The two victims were on board Ragasas car and on their way to work to Aparri when they were waylaid
by the gunmen.

Investigation is ongoing. Operatives were at the crime scene to determine the guns used in the killing

Drug case lawyer shot dead in La Union

By Chrisheil Acal

September 17 2016 12:35 PM http://newscentral.ph/breaking-news/drug-case-lawyer-shot-dead-la-

union/

A lawyer handling drug cases was shot dead at a gas station in La Union, a Philippine News Agency
report said on Saturday, September 17.

Lawyer Melver Tolentino, 42, was in his car at a gas station when one of two men riding a motorcycle
shot him with an M16 rifle in Sta. Monica, Masingal, Ilocos.

Tolentino suffered gunshot wounds in the head and body. He was declared dead on the spot, the report
said.

Twenty one empty shells of M16 rifle were recovered from the scene.

Authorities were still looking into the possible connection of Tolentinos death to the drug cases he
handled.

Justice for girl killed with lawyer

BY PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY ON AUGUST 25, 2016 http://www.manilatimes.net/justice-for-girl-

killed-with-lawyer/282087/

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte: The parents of the high school student who was killed with lawyer Rogelio Bato
Jr. in an ambush this week have asked the government to give justice to their daughters death.

Angelika Bonita, 17, was with Bato in his pick-up truck when unidentified gunmen fired at them on
Tuesday in a village near Robinsons Place Tacloban.

Bato is the legal counsel of Albuera (Leyte) Mayor Rolando Espinosa and son Kerwin, the alleged top
drug lord in Eastern Visayas.

The Philippine National Police confirmed that Bato is on its drugs watch list.
The lawyer and Bonita sustained multiple gunshots from a caliber 45 pistol and an M16 rifle.

Joel and Jennifer, parents of Angelika, denied knowing Bato, saying they have never met him.

We only heard Batos name in the news after the shooting incident, Jennifer said.

Angelika was the third child in the Bonita family, a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino
Program, and a Grade 9 student at Sagkahan National High School.

We are asking for justice to be served for the death of my daughter. We are blind on what happened,
my daughter is innocent, Jennifer told reporters.

The family is living in a coastal area of Fatima village that was badly hit by super Typhoon Yolanda in
2013.

Espinosas lawyer gunned down

BY PHILIPPINES NEWS AGENCY ON AUGUST 23, 2016 http://www.manilatimes.net/espinosas-lawyer-

gunned-down/281630/

TACLOBAN CITY: The legal counsel of embattled Albuera (Leyte) Mayor Rolando Espinosa was gunned
down on Tuesday afternoon in this city.

Police identified the victim as Rogelio Bato. Also killed was Angelica Bonita, 15, a high school student
who was with the lawyer inside the Toyota Hilux during the shooting in Lumbang 2 village.

Senior Supt. Rolando Bade, city police chief, said the victims suffered multiple gunshot wounds when
the assailants riding a white van without a license plate opened fire at them using a caliber 45 pistol and
an M-16 rifle.

A manhunt for the suspects has been launched.

We still need to conduct investigation if the incident is related to illegal drugs, Bade said.

Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, Eastern Visayas police regional director, earlier confirmed that Bato is one of
the professionals being probed for their alleged link to the illegal drug trade.

The lawyer has been the legal counsel of the Espinosa family.

He reportedly helped in the dismissal of several drug-related cases of Kerwin, the mayors son. Bato also
provided legal services to some drug suspects in Eastern Visayas.
LAWYER SLAIN IN BATANGAS

BY THE MANILA TIMES ON JANUARY 18, 2016 http://www.manilatimes.net/lawyer-slain-in-

batangas/240122/

LIPA CITY, Batangas: A lawyer was killed by a lone gunman on Sunday in Brgy. Lodlodin this city. The
victim Socrates Hermoso, 51, was unloading bags of groceries from his car in front of their house when
the suspect, on a motorcycle, arrived and aimed a gun at him. Hermoso fled but the suspect gave chase
and fired several shots at him. Police recovered nine slugs and six empty shells from a cal. 9mm pistol
from the crime scene. A manhunt was launched against the suspect who fled after the shooting.

Lawyer slain in Pangasinan attack

By Cesar Ramirez, The Philippine Star http://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/regions/08/10/14/lawyer-slain-

pangasinan-attack

PANGASINAN, Philippines Two motorcycle-riding men shot dead a lawyer at his home in San Fabian
town here on Friday, police reported yesterday.

Cristobal Fernandez, 64, of Barangay Poblacion, was declared dead on arrival at the Decena Hospital in
Dagupan City due to bullet wounds in the head, armpit and arm, police said.

Initial investigation showed Fernandez was at home working on a computer when two men on a
motorcycle arrived.

One of the men barged into the house and shot Fernandez several times, the report said. The victim was
reportedly preparing to attend a court hearing in Basista town when he was killed.

Authorities have yet to determine the motive for the killing and identify the killers.