MANILA, Philippines – Lawmakers Sunday called for tighter gun control and continued campaign against “gun-for-hire” and extra-judicial killings.

Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, Party-list Reps. Rodel Batocabe of Ako-Bicol, and Antonio Tiñio of Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) and Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone scoffed at the Arizona shooting incident as they also expressed their sympathies with the families of the victims, including US federal judge John Roll. Six persons were killed while Democratric Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was in critical condition in the US shooting Sunday.

Suarez noted that such incident was “pretty alarming,” calling for a stop of the increasing proliferation of “contract” killings.

“That has to be definitely stopped. Life is getting cheap already,” he said.

Suarez also lamented that some policemen from the province were moonlighting as gunmen in the city. (Charissa M. Luci)