DAVAO CITY, Philippines — In a broad daylight, a young man, out of nowhere suddenly appeared and knifed to death a pregnant mother.
Reactions immediately sprung up in various avenues, especially in the social media, calling the incident a senseless killing.
The victim, Atty. Madonna Joy Ednaco-Tanyag, 33, was assistant special prosecutor of the Office of the Ombudsman who handled the prosecution of government officials involved in various forms of graft and corrupt practices.
Among those groups who denounced the killing was the Gabriela Women’s Party (GWP) who sought justice to the victim and her family.
“Atty. Tanyag’s death alarmingly demonstrates the worsening climate of impunity under President Duterte’s watch that has become the norm – wherein anyone can be a victim of a fatal attack even in the most unlikely circumstances,” the GWP said.
GWP scored the rising impunity that has plagued the country under the present administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
Report of the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tanyag had just left the Sandiganbayan after a hearing and dropped by in a store in Visayas Avenue to buy a milk tea before reporting to her office when the stabbing incident happened.
She was stabbed three times and was rushed to East Avenue Medical Center but the doctors failed to revive her.
The PNP on Tuesday presented to the media the suspect in Tanyag’s killing, Angelito Avenido Jr. alias Moymoy, a jeepney barker and a resident of Desire Compound, Culiat, Quezon City.
Avenido is also facing criminal charges in General Santos.
The office of Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales released a statement on Wednesday commending the efforts of the PNP that resulted to the arrest of the suspect.
“ASP Tanyag is known to her colleagues as a hardworking and tough prosecutor handling high profile cases. The Office again express its deepest condolences to her family and loved ones,” the statement said. (davaotoday.com)
