Davao Occidental Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Eleanor Dela Peña was shot dead inside her car Monday afternoon, 10 June 2024. Photo courtesy of Inday Hamis
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 11 June) – The suspect in the killing of Davao Occidental Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Eleanor Dela Peña is her half-brother, who was arrested Monday night in Davao del Sur province, the Police Regional Office (PRO) – Davao said.
Dela Peña was shot dead inside her vehicle around 5 p.m. on Monday in Digos City, Davao del Sur.
In a report released on Tuesday, PRO-Davao identified the suspect as 56-year-old Arnel Galot Dela Peña.
He was arrested in a hot pursuit operation along the national highway in Barangay Talas, Sulop town in Davao del Sur around 9:40 p.m., about four hours after the crime was committed.
Investigators believed that the motive of the suspect for killing the prosecutor was due to land conflict.
The 54-year-old victim was driving her Ford Ranger Raptor when shot in the head by the suspect upon reaching her residence in Barangay Aplaya in Digos.
Police said that the identity of the suspect was known through the statements of the victim’s son, Kenneth De Leon, footage obtained from a nearby CCTV or closed-circuit television, and witness descriptions.
Authorities arrested the suspect while riding his Honda Click motorcycle.
Police seized from the possession of the suspect 12-gauge shotgun shells, 27 5.56MM live rounds, one M16 rifle magazine, and two mobile phones.
Prosecutor Dela Peña, known to her colleagues as “Mommy Ning,” was an alumna of the Ateneo de Davao University-College of Law, a sorority member of The Fraternal Order of St. Thomas More (Tau Mu), and former president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Davao City chapter.
In a statement released on Monday, Tau Mu condemned the killing of the prosecutor, calling her death “not only a devastating blow to their family, friends, and colleagues, but also a profound loss for our society as a whole.”
“Prosecutor Ning embodied the essence of justice, dedicating her career to upholding the law and advocating for the rights of others. She is not only a public servant, but a friend and a sister. She continuously supported every brother and sister in the community, while fulfilling her duties as the Assistant Provincial Prosecutor of Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental,” the statement reads.
In a separate statement, the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) likewise condemned the killing of Prosecutor Dela Peña.
It said that Dela Peña’s murder brought the number of lawyers killed under the current administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to four.
Since July 2022, the NUPL has recorded 43 incidents of attacks on lawyers, including six attempted killings.
“The killings of lawyers have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation among members of the bar. When perpetrators are not held accountable, the threat of violence discourages lawyers from taking on certain professional duties and hinders their ability to carry out their responsibilities effectively,” it said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)