The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), in coordination with the Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission, is conducting a motu propio probe on the ambush of Christhia Angela Aragoncillo, a 28-year-old provincial official of the Ministry of Social Services and Development in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the wounding of her colleague, Norhano Ado.

CHR denounces the brazen violence and expresses deep concern on the safety and security of government workers in BARMM, who dedicate their lives to the betterment of their communities. This attack not only claimed the life of a young public servant but it is also an affront on the peace and development efforts in the area. Targeting social service workers can cause a chilling effect to development workers and disrupts the delivery of services direly needed in conflict-vulnerable communities in the region.

The Commission acknowledges the efforts being done by local law enforcement agencies to resolve this case. We urge them to leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is served. It is crucial to bring the perpetrators to account to prevent similar incidents from happening. ###