The Integrated Bar of the Philippines strongly condemned the killing last 14 September of its commissioner on bar discipline, Atty. Maria Saniata Liwliwa V. Gonzales Alzate, in Bangued, Abra.

The lawyers' group urgently called on the National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police and all relevant investigative agencies to launch comprehensive investigations into the crime, along with all other unsolved cases targeting lawyers.

"We ask that they ensure the expedient resolution of these investigations, thereby holding the perpetrators truly accountable," the IBP said

The group said Alzate "upheld the highest standards of the legal profession, leaving behind an enduring legacy for us all."

It added: "We unite in solidarity with the legal community and the family of Atty. Alzate. We honor her memory as an esteemed public interest lawyer and a dedicated Commissioner of the Integrated Bar."

The IBP said the killing of Alzate "serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threats faced by lawyers, judges, and officers of the Court across the Philippines."

"In a society built upon the foundations of justice and equity, there is no place, nor can there be any tolerance, for those who would assail those dedicated to upholding the legal profession and cause of justice," it stressed.

For its part, the Department of Justice through DOJ Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano said, "We hope the manhunt operation will result in the murderer's capture so he or she can feel the full force of the rule of law."