Loren: Political will needed to solve political killings

Senator Loren Legarda said today that political will by the administration, not monetary rewards to informants is needed to bring before the bar of justice those involved in political killings.

Loren issued the statement in reaction to a plea made by Malacañang to lawmakers asking them to help raise a P25-million fund to help solve politically motivated killings.

"Reports said that the palace wants lawmakers to source the money they would chip in from their countrywide development fund. But wouldn't that be a misappropriation of the CDF?" said Loren.

"The CDF should not be used for purposes other than to provide our people tangible benefits through much-needed projects and undertakings. It's not right to use money intended for the general welfare of the people to pay informants," she stressed.

But if Malacañang is intent on putting up the reward fund, then it must source it from funds allocated each year by Congress for peace and order, and law enforcement, Loren pointed out.

The senator added that the executive department has full control of the police and all other law enforcement agencies, thus it has the means and the resources to really solve all political crimes and not just political killings, if it really so desires.

"The focus should not only be on political killings, but on all other politically motivated crimes, including cases of desaparecidos like the disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos," said Loren.

"While there may be nothing intrinsically wrong with this fund being pushed by Malacañang, to me it is a throwback to the so-called wild, wild west of America when bounty hunters and informants made a career out of turning in criminals."

Loren said that the move is a veritable admission by the administration of its helplessness in solving political crimes.

She said that the "violence free culture" being sold by the government to the public can be achieved through effective law enforcement and a justice system that works.

"This reward fund is a band-aid solution to the cancerous growth that is the resorting to goons, guns and gold of some politicians."