MALACAÑANG deplored Thursday, January 31, the "unlawful" killings of National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultant Randy Malayao and Quezon City village chief Crissel Beltran.

Speaking to Palace reporters, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the Palace would never allow the escalation of any "act of violence" against any individuals.

"We also condole with the killing of that NDF consultant, as well as the killing of the village chief, the barangay captain running for Congress. We condemn this slaying," the Palace official said.

"There can be no act of violence against anyone, regardless of whether they agree with the government, whether or not we belong to the same ideology or religious belief. We will never tolerate any unlawful killing in this country," he added.

Malayao, 49, was shot dead by unidentified assailants while sleeping inside a parked bus in Nueva Vizcaya province before dawn on Wednesday, January 30.

Also on Wednesday, Beltran, who was seeking a post at the House of Representatives in the May 2019 mid-term elections, was killed in an ambush in Quezon City.

READ: Quezon village chief's slay 1st election-related violence in Metro Manila

https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1785395/Manila/Local-News/Quezon-village-chiefs-slay-1st-election-related-violence-in-Metro-Manila

Panelo said the executive branch strongly opposed the killings of a person, regardless of whether the motive was a "personal reason or connected with ideology."

"Regardless of the motivation of the killing, we are condemning, whether it's a personal reason or connected with ideology. We are against it. It's against the democratic practice and process," he said. (SunStar Philippines)