The Dutch government on Friday urged Philippine officials to seriously go after those behind the killing of its national, a non-government organization worker, shot dead in Pampanga last Tuesday.
Dutch Ambassador Robert Brinks said he was “shocked and saddened” by the recent murder of Willem Geertman, 67, and “conveyed his sympathy to those dear him.”
Brinks, in a statement, noted Geertman’s years of involvement with local development and humanitarian organizations and expressed his “sincere hope that authorities will hold those behind the killing accountable.”
Police said Geertman may have been killed in a robbery attempt following witnesses’ accounts that he went to a bank before he was shot.
Earlier reports said the Dutch national was shot at close range at the Alay Bayan-Luson Inc. (ABI) office, where Geertman works as its executive director, in San Fernando, Pampanga by two unidentified gunmen who fled in a motorcycle.
“Human rights remain one of the important pillars of Dutch foreign policy,” Brinks said, adding the embassy has partnered with local human rights organizations, supported dialogues with the Philippines Commission on Human Rights, law enforcement and human rights defenders to help Manila address extrajudicial killings.
“It is our hope that these projects will also contribute to addressing impunity,” Brinks said. –KG, GMA News
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