Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday condemned the killing of a barangay captain in Digos City and vowed to ‘protect the rights’ of all Filipinos to voice out their criticisms.
In a statement, Duterte expressed her condolences to the loved ones and the community left by Oscar ‘Dodong’ Bucol Jr., the barangay captain of Tres de Mayo in Digos City who was shot dead in the middle of his daily Facebook live at the garage of his residence while interviewing a person over a lost and found ID on Tuesday night. ‘Captain Dodong only utilized his right and freedom to speak out against corruption and about politics, and he was silenced with a gun and a bullet,’ said Duterte, whose father’s presidency was also marked by alleged rights abuses and multiple killings and silencing of critics.
The administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte, now under the custody of the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, was highly known for its approach on critics by filing criminal charges against them and eventually, sending them behind bars. The vice president said she was firm in protecting one’s right, especially in speaking out and questioning the wrongs of the government.
‘In honoring his memory, we are reminded to uphold our stand to protect the rights and freedoms that have always paved the way for us to speak out, question and participate without fear,’ Duterte said.
After taking a single shot on his body, Bucol was rushed to a hospital in Digos City, but he was eventually declared dead.
Bucol had 300,000 followers on Facebook and has been known in his community for voicing out his hard-hitting criticisms against local politicians and even top police officials in his area.
Both Davao del Sur Gov. Yvonne Cagas and former Gov. Marc Cagas raised a P1 million reward to go after Bucol’s killers and the mastermind behind his death.
The legal counsel of the Bucol family, lawyer Israelito Torreon, said Duterte had offered another P1 million reward that would lead to the killers of the village chief.