The Bangsamoro Human Rights Commission (BHRC) expresses its full support and welcomes the filing of cases against the eight (8) identified police officers of Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat who were allegedly involved in the killing of three Bangsamoro teenagers, namely: Arshad T. Ansa, Horton N. Ansa Jr., and Samanoden M. Ali, in an alleged shootout in Barangay Didtaras, Municipality of Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat last December 2022. This is an important step towards holding accountable those who abuse their authority and violate the human rights of the people, most especially the children.

We commend Atty. Ronald Torres for his tireless efforts as counsel for the victims’ families and as our deputized lawyer for this case pursuant to our Legal Assistance Program. We fully support their pursuit of justice and their holding of accountability against the perpetrators.

As the human rights arm of the Bangsamoro, the BHRC will closely monitor the progress of this case, continue to coordinate with Atty. Torres and the families of the victims, and provide the appropriate support and aid throughout this difficult time consistent with our mandate of protecting human rights. We reiterate our commitment to ensuring that justice is served and that the perpetrators of human rights violations are held accountable.

We call on all concerned authorities to ensure that the legal proceedings are transparent and impartial. We urge the authorities to uphold the rule of law and ensure that those responsible for this senseless killing are exacted the appropriate sanctions so that such incidents may be prevented from happening again in the future.

We reiterate our unwavering commitment to promoting and protecting the human rights of the Bangsamoro people whether within or outside the Bangsamoro core territory. Let us work together towards achieving justice for Arshad T. Ansa, Horton N. Ansa Jr., Samanoden M. Ali, and all victims of human rights violations.

#ForTheBangsamoroHumanRights