August 24, 2018
Police say Rafael Atotubo was sitting outside his house when riding-in-tandem gunmen attacked him

A lawyer who handled drug cases was shot dead in front of his rented house here on Thursday, August 23.
The fatality was identified as 62-year-old Rafael Atotubo.
The lawyer was sitting outside his house when he was attacked by two unidentified assailants on board a motorcycle.
Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, Bacolod City Police Office public information officer, said the armed back rider, who was wearing a black jacket, bonnet and helmet, alighted from the motorcycle and shot the victim twice.
The victim was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival. He succumbed to a gunshot wound below his left eyebrow.
Authorities recovered two fired cartridges of caliber .9mm from the crime scene while the victim’s vehicle that was parked inside his garage had two bullet holes.
Police probers are looking at all possible motives including the victim’s work as a defense lawyer for drug personalities.
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https://www.rappler.com/nation/210293-rafael-atotubo-shot-dead-bacolod-august-23-2018
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1759682
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1024378/lawyer-handling-drug-cases-slain-in-bacolod-city-ambush
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1024710/nupl-condemns-killing-of-bacolod-lawyer-handling-drug-cases
https://www.panaynews.net/city-councilors-condemn-killing-of-bacolod-lawyer/
https://www.panaynews.net/ibp-negocc-lawyers-slay-weakens-practice-of-law/
https://thedailyguardian.net/option/ilonggo-lawyers-murder-alarming/
http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1045980
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1759865
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1760110
https://thedailyguardian.net/negros/leave-no-stone-unturned-in-lawyers-slay-probe/
http://www.interaksyon.com/nupl-murder-of-bicol-paralegal-linked-to-attacks-on-rights-lawyer/
https://www.ucanews.com/news/journalist-activist-fall-victim-to-philippine-killings/80621
https://philippinenmagazin.de/2018/08/24/62-jaehriger-anwalt-vor-seinem-haus-in-bacolod-erschossen/ (DEUTSCH)
PRESS STATEMENT
23 August 2018
Another dear brethren falls with his boots on
NUPL strongly condemns the continuing attacks on lawyers with the atrocious killing of Atty. Rafael Atotubo in Bacolod by unidentified assailants riding in tandem. While Atty. Atotubo has represented many illegal drugs suspects in court, this can not in any way justify his killing. No lawyer should be attacked for the exercise of their profession especially since everybody has the constitutional right to counsel and access to courts.
The brazeness of the attack committed in a public place in broad daylight is strikjngly similar to the modus operandi of the continuing extrajudicial killngs all over the country. This shows that the killers were never afraid of being accosted by the police, which only strengthens the theory that the police is involved in the killings. The fact that President Duterte previously threatened lawyers who represent drug suspects only adds more to the belief that the killings are state-sponsored or condoned.
We are wary that the killing of this low-profile and quiet lawyer will end up unsolved like the thousands of extrajudicial killings nationwide. This barbaric act comes on the heels of the continuing attacks and threats on prosecutors and practising lawyers who in one way or another perform their professional duties in regard to drug cases. We dread the message writ large by the authorities: “lawyers back off or you will be next.”
We ask the Supreme Court and the local and international legal comminity to strongly denounce this latest attack and criticise the failure of the Duterte administratiion to stop the killings and arrest the killers not only of lawyers but civilians who were victims of extrajudicial killings. We also ask colleagues in the legal profession to help families of victims achieve justice for the death of their loved ones.
We demand that President Duterte, himself a lawyer and forner prosecutor, to publicly condemn the killing and declare that lawyers should not be attacked for the exercise of their profession. We demand that he publicly commit that the perpetrators be held accountable under the law.
We will not back off. We shall close ranks and stand our ground.
Reference.
Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares
NUPL Chairperson
(0917) 835 0459
Atty. Edre U. Olalia
NUPL President
(0917) 5113373
(UP National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers Facebook, 24/8/18)