The Union of Peoples’ Lawyers in Mindanao (UPLM) strongly condemned the attempted murder of Warren Cahayag, a paralegal who helped found the organization in 2005.

Cahayag sustained serious injuries from multiple gunshot wounds in Purok Bliss, Barangay Calumpang in General Santos City on July 28 at 7:30 in the evening. He stood in front of a store when a motorcycle carrying two men passed by and the passenger shot him five times. He was brought to the hospital, where he is currently under medication.

According to the NUPL, the attack on Cahayag occurred amid persistent attacks against lawyers, activists, and human rights defenders. The organization stated that these systematic attacks aim to intimidate and silence those who resist, and to paralyze those who serve the poor.

In June alone, former human rights defender and NUPL paralegal Ali Macalintal was also killed. Before the gruesome crime, Macalintal had reported to Karapatan, which he previously served, that military agents and their cohorts who betrayed the national-democratic movement were harassing him.

The NUPL called for an immediate end to violence against those fighting for the rights and welfare of the people. It condemned Ferdinand Marcos Jr for his lack of “commitment to human rights, the sanctity of life, and the rule of law and justice.”

The organization noted that he did not mention human rights in his fourth state of the nation address, which occurred just hours before the attempt on Cahayag’s life.