DOJ denounces killing of Davao Occidental prosecutor

MANILA, Philippines (Updated 1:15 p.m.) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) condemned the killing of a provincial prosecutor in Digos City last Monday.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) denounced the killing of Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Eleanor Dela Peña, who served in Davao Occidental. She was shot in Barangay Aplaya in Digos City on Monday afternoon.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla expressed devastation over her death, calling the act "barbaric" and "abhorrent."

“The DOJ family is completely devastated over the tragic death of our fellow vanguard of justice who was recently shot-dead in Digos City,” Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said, as quoted in the statement. 

“There should be no place in society for such barbaric acts, totally abhorrent and sinister transgressing the most fundamental aspect of humanity and life,” he added.

Remulla also said that he directed the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the incident.

Lt. Col. Florante Retes, chief of the Digos City Police Station, said on Tuesday that the 54-year-old victim, died on the spot from bullet wounds in her head.

Retes said Dela Pena, whose office is in Malita, Davao Occidental, was driving her white Ford Raptor pick-up truck, on her way home to the Tienda area in Barangay Aplaya, a residential area in Digos City, when her attacker, positioned along the route, opened.

The culprit escaped immediately using a getaway Honda Click motorcycle, according to witnesses.

Dela Peña’s office in Malita is not too distant from Digos City, the capital of Davao del Sur.

The victim was the former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Davao City chapter.

In a separate statement, former Justice secretary Leila de Lima also called for a swift investigation into the killing of the Davao fiscal.

“I join the call for a swift probe of this latest incident of killing of a member of the justice sector. Impunity is still very much around,” De Lima said in a post on X (formerly Twitter). 

Unwavering courage, dedication

For the local legal community in Davao, Dela Peña embodied “unwavering courage and dedication in her commitment to upholding the law” as a public prosecutor.

In a statement, the National Prosecution Service XI said the fiscal’s passing “leaves a void not only in our legal system” but also in “the hearts of all who knew and worked alongside her.”

“As we grapple with this senseless loss, let us remember Mommy Ning’s bravery, passion, and unwavering resolve in the face of adversity. Her sacrifice serves as a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in the pursuit of justice, yet it also reinforces our collective commitment to upholding the rule of law,” it said.

The IBP Davao chapter also condemned Dela Peña’s killing, calling it a “heinous act of violence against a dedicated public servant.”

“We cannot allow such acts of violence to intimidate or silence those who are tasked with the critical duty of enforcing the law,” IBP’s statement read.

It also called on law enforcement agencies to take prompt and decisive action, emphasizing the need for a thorough and rapid investigation to ensure the perpetrators of the crime are brought to justice.

“We stand in solidarity with the family, friends and colleagues of Prosecutor Dela Peña and all those affected by this senseless act of violence. Despite this tragedy, the legal community of Davao City reaffirms its commitment to the pursuit of justice and the protection of those who dedicate their lives to upholding the law,” IBP’s statement read.

“We will not stop seeking justice until it is attained,” it added.