DIGOS CITY (MindaNews / 11 June) – The legal community in the Davao region has expressed outrage and condemned the killing of Davao Occidental Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Eleanor Dela Peña.
She was shot dead in this city around 5 p.m Monday, a report released by the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Davao said.
Based on initial police investigation, the 54-year-old victim, known to her colleagues as “Mommy Ning,” was driving her white Ford Ranger Raptor when shot in the head by a gunman upon reaching her residence at Barangay Aplaya here.
Dela Peña, an alumna of the Ateneo de Davao University-College of Law, served as president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Davao City chapter in 2019. She was assigned at the Davao Occidental Prosecutor’s Office in Malita town prior to her killing.
Personnel from the Digos City Police Station have conducted hot pursuit operations to identify and arrest the suspect in the killing of the prosecutor.
According to witnesses’ accounts, the suspect was alone in perpetrating the crime and escaped using a scooter motorcycle.
Police are still investigating the motive of the crime.
Senseless loss
In a statement, the National Prosecution Service (NPS)-11 mourned the death of the prosecutor and vowed to thoroughly investigate the incident “so that justice may be served.”
It said that the Dela Peña exemplified an “unwavering courage and dedication in her commitment to upholding the law” as a public prosecutor and former IBP-Davao City president and that her death “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.
In a separate statement, the IBP-Davao City chapter condemned the killing of its former president.
“This heinous act of violence against a dedicated public servant and a former president of the chapter not only shocked our legal community but also undermined the very foundations of justice and the rule of law that Prosecutor Dela Peña tirelessly upheld throughout her career,” it said.
The group said it would not allow acts of violence to intimidate or silence those who are tasked with the critical duty of enforcing the law.
It also urged law enforcement agencies to take immediate and decisive action as it demands a thorough and swift investigation to bring the perpetrators “of this despicable crime 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,” the statement reads.
The IBP-Davao urged its members and the legal community to “remain vigilant and steadfast in their duties,” and to honor the legacy of Dela Peña by “continuing to fight for justice and the rule of law.”
“We will not stop seeking justice until it is attained,” it said. (Antonio L. Colina IV with a report from Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)