The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has dispatched a Quick Response Operation (QRO) team after receiving reports that the chairperson of Barangay Datu Salumay in Davao City and his wife narrowly escaped an attempted ambush on 03 September 2024.

Lito Mansamo, the incumbent chairperson of Brgy. Datu Salumay, and Alma Zarate Mansamo, his wife, were ambushed by two unidentified suspects while inside their vehicle, according to police reports. Although Mansamo was uninjured, his wife sustained a wound on her right knee.

Although the Commission is yet to determine whether this incident is politically motivated, we take this opportunity to reiterate that similar acts of violence undermine social order and the rule of law, regardless of reason.

The CHR is constantly monitoring incidents of threats, harassment, and violence against local leaders, especially as the 2025 midterm election approaches. We stress that these acts incite fear across communities and erode public confidence in the electoral process, potentially distorting the integrity of the forthcoming polls. Within this context, ensuring a safe environment for local leaders and their constituents is, in itself, a significant effort to safeguard every Filipino’s democratic right to engage in a free and peaceful electoral process.###