USP on lawyer Jay Soriano’s murder

The Upsilon Sigma Phi (USP) condemns the murder of lawyer Leonard Jacinto “Jay” Soriano, Class ’87, by still unidentified assailants on May 10, 2012. He was shot in his car as he was leaving his office at the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB) in Quezon City. He was an arbiter at the HLURB.

Time and again, we are faced with news of wanton murders and acts of violence inflicted by lawless elements against peaceful and law-abiding citizens. These heinous crimes must be stopped not only because of the harm and trauma inflicted on the victims and their loved ones, but also because they undermine the sense of security and well-being in our communities.

Until and unless our government performs its sacred duty of protecting and ensuring the safety of its citizens, we cannot truly enjoy the blessings of a democratic state. Lawyer Soriano’s murder, most probably a result of his upholding the rule of law and fulfilling his duty as a public servant, is an affront to the government’s campaign for good governance.

As we steer the Filipino nation toward the “matuwid na daan,” allowing his death to remain a statistic is a step backward in achieving that end. We therefore appeal to President Aquino to call upon our law enforcement agencies to immediately conduct an investigation into Soriano’s murder and make those responsible account for their crime.

We pray that his eternal soul find peace and that swift justice be meted out to the perpetrators of his murder.

Justice for Jay Soriano!

—UPSILON SIGMA PHI ALUMNI ASSOCIATION INC.,

University of the Philippines