The Philippines have suffered another political crime. This time it was the mayor of Manila, together with four other people who were gunned down by political opponents at the busy Manila airport.
The political landscape in the Philippines is little more than a turf war, dealt with, usually, with extreme violence.
Most politicians are armed and have an armed escort. That however does not stop rival politicians from staging bloody attacks.
In a system that is all but broken, being a powerful politician in the Philippines has become a gateway to extreme wealth. And with that wealth, come turf battles.
This particular incident however, sets a new precedent. First of all it was done brazenly at an international airport, and second it took with it not just the intended target but innocent bystanders, in full view of international passengers waiting for their flights.
The Mayor of Manila had survived a number of previous attempts on his life, which is probably why the gunman chose such a public venue for his attack.
The Philippines are truly in the throes of violence, from many sides. Aside from these kind of attacks aimed at politicians, there is widespread violence in the streets due to the abundance of firearms, and in certain areas, entire cities or zones are under the control of Muslim rebels.
One of the worse political murders occurred in 2009 in Maguindanao, when 32 people, including relatives of the intended target were killed an buried in a mass grave.
The problem again, is the ease with which people can procure firearms. Almost 1.2 million arms are registered, with probably just as many unregistered circulating freely in the nation.
Partial Source: CNN/VICE/12.21.13
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