SENATOR Loren Legarda has condemned the killing of a hardworking, dedicated and humble forest guard in Mt. Makiling, stressing that it was an act of violence against humankind and Mother Earth.

Legarda said the brutal death of Elpidio “Jojo” Malinao, a forest guard of Makiling Centre for Mountain Ecosystems of the College of Forestry & Natural Resources University of the Philippines-Los Baños, is a tragic addition to the lengthening list of murdered warriors for the environment.

The senator called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act before the law and give justice to the wife and orphaned children.

“I join the colleagues of Jojo Malinao and all the advocates of environmental preservation in condemning this act of violence committed against an ordinary forest officer with extraordinary courage and who is guilty of nothing but the strong passion for his job to protect the Makiling Forest Reserve at all cost,” she said.