Police are the frontliners in curbing criminality and violence. Citizens count on the police to protect them from any threat against life, liberty, and property. But today, another cop, Police Major Jeffrey Dalson – who was assigned to the office the chief of Philippine National Police (PNP) General Archie Gamboa – is gunned down by motorcycle-riding vigilantes in Makati City.

The Commission on Human Rights strongly denounces this brazen violence against a uniformed personnel. Killing a law enforcer is a direct attack against peace, order, and security. The violence in our society has become so normalized that even state forces who are equipped and trained to protect themselves become targets and victims. The bravado of vigilantes in targeting state authorities and other similar killings of government officials and personnel is indicative of the severity of the culture of killings.

CHR cannot stress enough the expediency of addressing all forms of extrajudicial killings. We reiterate our urgent call to investigate all killings and bring perpetrators to account to genuinely curb the savagery that gnaws deeply at the core of our society. Through collaboration of all government instrumentalities as well as the active participation of the civil society and the media, let us harness our efforts and take concrete steps to revive an atmosphere that values each life and despise violence of any kind.

We send our sympathy and prayers to the family of PMaj. Dalson and to his PNP family. CHR will conduct an immediate investigation to help see the case through its just conclusion.