Call for justice continues for social worker’s death; lack of media coverage, called out

By Jelo Ritzhie Mantaring

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Netizens have stressed their call for justice for Justine Charles Accad, a social worker mercilessly killed last Feb. 21, also mentioning that the media, especially television, have not given his story broadcast time.

Christer Carandang said in his Facebook post that he was searching for news telecasts about Accad on Feb. 25. He pointed out that only ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol “cared to cover this unfortunate incident” from the previous day, whose reach was already limited due to the denial of the station’s franchise renewal.

He said the coverage of Accad’s death could have shown a light to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) employees and other social workers that they “are not just limited to providing relief goods and simple [counseling].”

“These people risk their lives in performance of duty by braving the most vicious storms during disaster [operations], dealing with unpredictable people, even caring for total strangers, and compromising self-security during pay-out related activities,” he said in his Facebook post.

As of press time, the post garnered 1,393 reactions, 95 comments, and 1,834 shares.

Friends and colleagues of the 30-year-old social worker have urged authorities for the immediate arrest of the people behind Accad’s death under hashtags like #JusticeForJustineCharlesAccad.

Co-worker Maria Lexel Malajacan posted on Facebook that it was a “senseless killing” of their fellow social worker, as reported by the Manila Bulletin.

They also were defending Accad as some netizens commented on posts that he might be a “corrupt government employee,” also degrading the profession of social work.

What has happened?

Social Welfare Officer II Justine Charles Accad went missing on Feb. 19 after leaving his home in Marikina City.

According to the DSWD’s public service announcement, he was last seen at 7 a.m. as he was heading to the San Juan City Hall aboard a bluish silver Honda Civic FD with plate number ZEN-851.

In an article of the Manila Bulletin, Jessa Muncada, Accad’s 25-year-old pregnant live-in partner, also a DSWD employee, said he did not reach his destination.

She also said Accad usually brings a large sum of money to the DSWD-San Juan every Friday during pay-out. This was for the hospitalization and other assistance needed by residents from the department.

The minimum amount of the money brought was P1 million, Muncada said.

Two days after, a 17-year-old scavenger found the body around 3 p.m. while looking for scraps.

According to the police report, the victim’s head was covered with packaging tape, his hands were tied and connected to his feet using cable ties. The body was stuffed inside a sack in a grassy lot in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan.

The victim was naked and identified as Accad. His car was not found near the area and it is still missing.

In TV Patrol’s telecast, Julius Alvaro, the city’s police chief, said they were looking at the angles of Accad’s work, an alleged dispute that happened with the victim, and maybe personal family problems to continue the investigation.

Alvaro also said they are studying CCTV footage hoping they can find evidence to clear the investigation.

On Feb. 23, the DSWD vowed in their statement that the Field Office National Capital Region (FO-NCR) would continue to give the family aid.

The department was processing burial, financial, and transportation assistance for the family as the mother will be traveling from Zamboanga City to Manila.

Aside from this, the DSWD assured their agency personnel, especially disbursing officers, the safety they need.

“The DSWD recognizes the efforts of field workers to deliver the necessary assistance to program beneficiaries despite the many threats to their health and safety, thus, the Department vows to institute better mechanisms to ensure their protection and to prevent the repeat of similar incidents,” the online statement read.