MANILA (UPDATE) — Sen. Risa Hontiveros on Monday filed a resolution seeking a Senate investigation into a "series of political killings," the latest of which was the assassination of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo over the weekend.

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“A Senate investigation should be conducted not only to exact justice for the victims, but also to identify the underlying drivers of the killings, particularly the failure and inaction of our institutions, including our law enforcement agencies, to address political and election-related violence," Hontiveros said in her Senate Resolution No. 518.

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The senator said that the killings were becoming "increasingly disturbing" with some supposed perpetrators dressed in uniforms similar to those worn by the armed services.

“The virus of impunity continues to proliferate, and our state forces are heavily infected. How can the public trust killers masquerading as law enforcement? Who is giving the marching orders?" she said.

Meanwhile, in a separate resolution, at least 15 senators condemned the killing of Degamo as they urged law enforcers to immediately resolve the case.

“The Senate of the Philippines, in the strongest sense, urges the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to exert all efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice not only for the sake of all victims and their families, but also to ensure that the rule of law is upheld at all times for an orderly and peaceful society,” Senate Resolution 517 read.

Co-authors of the resolution include Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda and Senators Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito, Nancy Binay, Grace Poe, Raffy Tulfo, Sonny Angara, Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr., Francis Tolentino, Win Gatchalian, Jinggoy Estrada, Mark Villar and Christopher Go.

“Lubos pong nakakabahala itong kultura ng pambabastos sa ating mga batas, sa ating mga otoridad, sa ating kapulisan… yung pagpatay sa sibilyan ay sobrang kademonyohan. Hindi ito talaga katanggap-tanggap sa atin,” Villanueva said.

(This culture of impudence to our laws, the authorities, our police is alarming. The killing of civilians is demonic. This is not acceptable to us.)

The Philippine National Police should be “proactive,” the senator said.

“Sana naging proactive sila (PNP) more than reactive. Kasi with the death threats that the Governor has been receiving, the actions made by the League of Governors asking for protection sa ating mga officials, eh nangyari pa rin po ito,” Villanueva added.

(They should be more proactive instead of reactive.)

Degamo and eight other people died on Saturday after at least six gunmen attacked his home in Pamplona municipality while he was meeting with his constituents. Seventeen people, including a doctor and two army soldiers, were also wounded, police said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said last week that the recent attacks targeting politicians were "isolated cases."

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But according to Hontiveros, “we should be horrified by the frequency of political assassinations.

“Huwag nating gawin normal ang patayan. The past years have encouraged murder as a default way of silencing and manipulating... The government must take a strong stand as an institution to condemn these killings and to take concrete actions to end this savagery,” Hontiveros said.

(Let us not normalize killings.)

In February, Mayor Ohto Montawal of Montawal, Maguindanao del Sur province was shot and wounded in an ambush in Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City on Thursday.

That same month, Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda of Aparri, Cagayan and 5 of his companions were killed in an ambush in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya.

Meanwhile, Governor Mamintal "Bombit" Adiong Jr. was seriously wounded while 4 of his police security were killed in an ambush in the town of Maguing, Lanao del Sur on Feb. 17.

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