The Philippine Online Chronicles

Nacionalista Party (NP) standard-bearer Manny Villar has spoken out against the killing of four NP candidates within the span of a week, saying there was a pattern of "persecution of those wearing NP colors.”

"We are just on the seventh day of the new year and we already have lost four of our local candidates to assassinations. Have we become endangered political species?" Villar asked in a statement on Thursday.

“We may be able to modernize the way we vote and count the vote but can we really claim progress if some of us still resort to the Stone Age practice of just bludgeoning the opponent?”

Among those killed were NP councilor bet for Casirugan, Sorsogon Julio Esquivias, former councilman of Barangay Kinangan in Malita, Davao del Sur and provincial Manny Villar for President Movement organizer Cipriano Albores, candidate for vice-mayor in Taganaan, Surigao del Norte Wilbert Origines and candidate for councilor in Dingras, Ilocos Norte Joen Canete. All were gunned down in separate incidents.

“Because they can’t be beaten fair and square they were beaten in a manner most foul. There is no other explanation for their tragic fate other than this: They were killed because they were winning," said Villar.

Villar called out to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to address the “climate of violence” that has already resulted in elections-related atrocities perpetrated by privately kept militia as in the case of the Maguindanao Massacre.

“Authorities should move fast and do something about the incidents,” he said. “As the weather heats up, so does the election. If the killings continue, this means that the government has not been effective and its campaign against private armies is merely a press release.”