TOGETHER LET US STOP THE CULTURE OF VIOLENCE. [a repost]

We are Lester Pascua’s friends.

We come together to give a voice to his story.

Five unknown men, brandishing metal pipes and hidden by masks, viciously attacked our friend, Lester, in Katipunan at the night of April 29. As our friend Lester was walking to buy dinner, these men mercilessly, and without any provocation, attacked him. They ganged up on him and beat him to a pulp. As if their treachery and brutality was never enough, they soon drove off in a silver Vios (plate number ZMD 300) to escape.

As his friends, we continue to receive persistent reports that this crime was a fraternity-related hit gone wrong. Knowing that our friend Lester was never a fraternity member in UP, and had no known enemies, only heightens our suspicions that this was a case of mistaken identity. In our eyes, Lester was an innocent person caught up in a senseless act of vendetta.

Even as we still piece together what really happened in this case, and we trust our authorities in their investigation, we still condemn – in the strongest terms – this barbaric act. If it was indeed true that this was a fraternity hit, these men who attacked him are no different from criminals. These criminals, whoever they are, must not go unpunished.

We are angry that these things can actually happen in our streets. We are indignant that these hoodlums think that they can get away with their crimes. Nonetheless, we are united by our demand to exact justice.

As Lester’s friends, we come together as one to bring attention to his case, and never stop until the criminals who have done this to him are punished.

If you believe in what we stand for, please repost this note and tag your friends.

LET US SHOW THESE CRIMINALS THAT WE DON'T TAKE THIS SITTING DOWN.

For those who are against violence and for those who condemn the barbaric act against Lester, please copy this note and post it as a new one so you can tag your contacts. Thank you very much.