Journalists to hold rally for Benaojan

The Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists will hold an indignation rally to condemn the killing of Bantay Radyo reporter George Benaojan and to pressure the police to act collectively to expedite the resolution of the case.

In an emergency meeting held Monday night at the wake of Benaojan, CFBJ members and officials agreed to show their indignation to the killing Benaojan by holding a rally infront of the Capitol building on Friday.

CFBJ president Joy Tumulak said the rally is set Friday from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Representatives from the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, reporters federation and the family of Benaojan will be among the speakers.

The organizer will also ask Cebu Provincial Police Office chief Vicente Loot to brief the media on the update of their investigation.

It was agreed during the emergency meeting that the group will mobilize the future journalists of Cebu and in the country in general to join the rally. Invitations will be sent to the different colleges and universities in Cebu that offer mass communication and journalism courses, for their students to attend the activity.

The group also agreed to invite representatives from the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines and some cause oriented groups sympathetic to the plight of the members of the media to join the rally.

Tumulak said that the police should get their act to build a strong case together instead of competing with one another.

The police have already filed a case against former boxer Roberto "Dinky" Jagdon before the Talisay City Prosecutor's Office last Monday. Jagdon was identified by witness Adriano Llanos as the man who shot and killed Benaojan last week in barangay Lawaan III, Talisay City.

The police have yet to identify the mastermind and the motive behind the killing.

Meanwhile, Provincial Intelligence and Investigation chief Juanito Enguera denied the different offices investigating the case are competing with each other.

Aside from his office, the National Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group are also looking into the case. - Fred P. Languido with Norvie S. Misa