. Earth Science News .
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Environmental lawyer murdered in Philippines: police
by Staff Writers
Manila (AFP) Feb 17, 2017


A Philippine lawyer who specialised in investigating crimes against the environment has been ambushed and shot dead, police said Friday.

The murder on Wednesday of Mia Manuelita Mascarinas-Green deepened concerns that the Philippines is one of the world's most dangerous places for environmental campaigners, with more than 100 killed over the past 15 years.

Four motorcycle-riding gunmen opened fire after surrounding a van being driven by Mascarinas-Green -- with her children and nanny in the vehicle -- near her home on the central island of Bohol, the authorities said.

Mascarinas-Green was pronounced dead at a hospital but her children were unharmed, regional police spokesman Senior Inspector Reslin Abella told AFP.

"The victim is a known environmental lawyer. Investigators are checking whether the attack had any link to the cases she had handled in relation to environmental issues," Abella told AFP by telephone.

"They now have the identity of at least one of the perpetrators and a hot pursuit operation is ongoing," she said without naming the suspect.

Abella said police were at the moment unaware if Mascarinas-Green had been threatened previously in relation to her work.

Her children are twins, aged two, and a 10-year-old daughter, according to local media reports.

Her death brings to 112 the number of environmental campaigners murdered in the Philippines over the past 15 years, according to Filipino environment monitor Kalikasan.

This includes 12 since President Rodrigo Duterte took office seven months ago, Kalikasan said.

"Most of these cases remain unresolved as the government continues to ignore the threat against environmental defenders," Clemente Bautista, its national coordinator told AFP.

"What this means is that the perpetrators are emboldened to do it again and again because no one ever gets caught."

Greenpeace Southeast Asia executive director Yeb Sano also said the killing highlighted the culture of impunity in the Philippines, where powerful figures abuse a corrupt political and justice system to literally get away with murder.

"Those who cause environmental destruction are resorting to savage measures and deplorable acts to stop communities and people who are standing up to protect our imperilled environment," Sano said.

Environmental monitor Global Witness separately lists 88 killings of environmental activists and workers in the Philippines between 2010 and 2015.

The attacks spiked with 33 dead in 2015, ranking the Philippines as the second most dangerous country in the world for environmental campaigners behind Brazil.


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Polish activists complain to EU about toxic smog
Warsaw (AFP) Feb 17, 2017
Polish environmental groups on Friday filed a complaint with the European Union against national and local authorities for failing to fight lethal levels of smog. The European Environmental Agency (EEA) blames air pollution - caused in large part by the burning of coal - for an estimated 50,000 premature deaths per year in the country of 38 million people. Seventy percent of Polish hou ... read more


FROTH AND BUBBLE
Bringing satellites to users can improve public health and safety

Free hairdos to boost confidence of displaced Iraqi women

'Scorpion' robot mission inside Fukushima reactor aborted

Myanmar jade mine landslide kills 9: official

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Terahertz chips a new way of seeing through matter

Cooling roofs and other structures with no energy

Researchers engineer thubber a stretchable rubber that packs a thermal conductive punch

Penn researchers are among the first to grow a versatile 2-dimensional material

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Ethiopia dam causes Kenya water shortage: rights group

10 Italian execs found guilty over polluted water supply

Seagrass on decline, jeopardizing human, coral health: study

El Nino resulted in unprecedented erosion of the Pacific coastline

FROTH AND BUBBLE
How an Ice Age paradox could inform sea level rise predictions

Sentinels warn of dangerous ice crack

Sea ice at poles hit record low for January

Arctic cultures take climate fight to Berlin film fest

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Nicaragua focuses on climate-change resistant coffee

Gluten-free diet may increase risk of arsenic, mercury exposure

Study rewrites the history of corn in corn country

Mongolia herders reel under dreaded 'dzud' weather

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Italy asks EU aid as cost of quakes hits 23 bn euros

Cyclone bears down on Mozambique coast

Ventura fault could cause stronger shaking

Researchers catch extreme waves with higher-resolution modeling

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Interim authorities to begin work in Mali's north

UN demands armed groups stop fighting in C. Africa

S. Sudan army says general who quit was 'deeply' corrupt

Ivory Coast arrests six journalists over mutiny 'false information'

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Study links working remotely to more stress, insomnia

Study: The human brain always has a backup plan

Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot evolution

Humans subconsciously perceive words as 'round' or 'sharp'









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.