PNP ordered to arrest killer of journalist

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines  – Police have been ordered to arrest the killers of retired broadcaster Jose Daguio.

The 75-teary-old was shot dead in his home in Tabuk City, Kalinga on Saturday.

Authorities said the killing of Daguio may not be related to his work as a journalist.

Kalinga police director Senior Superintendent Virgilio Laya is taking over the murder investigation and manhunt against the killers.

Laya said Daguio worked as radio announcer for government-run dzRK Radio ng Bayan in 1986.

Daguio was also part-time anchorman for Radio Natin, an FM station of the Manila Broadcasting Corp., and a contributor to the Kalinga-based weekly paper, Guru Press, he added.

Meanwhile, Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has proposed a government commission to come up with proactive programs against media killings.

 “I will be suggesting to the DOJ and to the CHR to form maybe a higher agency and multi-agency committee so that we will be able to look at other possible methods of approaching the problem on the violence against media personnel,” he said.

“Let us not look only at how to solve a crime that has happened against media personnel and militants but also let us look at things that you should do to prevent the occurrence of such violence.”

 “We must get involved in finally coming up with a program to reduce if not prevent the attacks or violence against our media personnel so we want to look at it not only on what to do when something happens but what to do so that that thing will not happen... so let us help each other in this endeavor.”

Verzosa said the government can launch a multi-sectoral approach towards eradicating the attacks and violence against media personnel.

“Just like what we’ve done in some other important or great tasks that we have conducted recently... like our approach to private armies, loose guns, crisis situations and other approaches that need the cooperation of everybody so I enjoin everybody especially our friends from the media that we help each other so that we may be able to implement programs or activities to prevent attacks on media personalities,” he said.

Laya said Daguio’s son claimed his father’s killing might have something to do with the waterworks project that he was implementing in Tuga, in Tabuk City.

It was realigned to a deep well project by a certain barangay official, Daguio’s son added.

Police said the project’s realignment resulted in misunderstanding between Daguio and the barangay official.

The barangay official was asked to undergo a paraffin test, police added.

Cordillera police requested the name of the barangay official be withheld pending further investigation.

Police said Daguio’s son also suspects people involved in illegal activities in Tabuk might be behind the slaying of his father whom they accused of tipping off authorities.

“Another angle being looked into is land dispute,” Laya said.

Daguio’s killing occurred almost two months after a hard-hitting radio reporter also in Tabuk City survived an assassination attempt last May 15.

Radio reporter Jerome Tabanganay of radio dzRK survived a gunshot wound on his leg.

Meanwhile, the Baguio-Benguet chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has urged President Aquino to stop the culture of impunity.

“The government failed to promote the interests and welfare of the marginalized sectors and it succeeded in coddling people in the status quo such as the warlords and political kingpins who contributed mainly to the culture of impunity,” read the NUJP statement.

On the other hand, the human rights alliance Karapatan has condemned the killing of Bayan Muna-Aklan provincial chairman Fernando Baldomero who was reportedly shot Monday morning while on his way to bring his child to school.

Baldomero, a municipal councilor of Lezo, Aklan and provincial coordinator of the Makabayan Coalition, is the first victim of extrajudicial killing since Mr. Aquino was sworn into office, according to Marie Hilao-Enriquez, the group’s chairman.

An attempt was made on Baldomero’s life early this year when a grenade was lobbed at his house in Barangay Sta. Cruz Bigaa, Lezo, she added.

Reports said Baldomero was in front of his house, while trying to start his motorcycle to bring his child to school when he was shot by two unidentified men. 

The attackers were armed with a 9mm pistol and long firearms.

Palace: Speed up probe

Malacañang ordered police yesterday to speed up investigation into Daguio’s killing, the first journalist murdered during the Aquino administration.

Speaking to reporters, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said President Aquino is expected to issue his marching orders on how to stop political and extrajudicial killings.

“We condemn all killings especially of journalists,” he said.

“Any murder especially of journalists is an infringement on press freedom.”

However, he was not yet aware of the alleged murder of a Bayan Muna member, he added.

Lacierda said stopping extrajudicial killings is high on the priority list of Mr. Aquino, being one of his campaign promises.

“Of course, we promised that also-equal justice to all,” he said.

“That’s a promise that we intend to keep and we will try to resolve all the issues.”

“Well, for one thing, we are not stonewalling on those things. Thoughtfully, we will have a marked defense and that’s going to be discussed.”

Lacierda said it would be up to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima to decide whether to continue with the Task Force Usig formed by the Arroyo administration to deal with extrajudicial killings.

“We will leave it to the secretary of justice,” he said.

He had already spoken to De Lima about the matter, Lacierda said. – With Aurea Calica, Charlie Lagasca, Paolo Romero, Role Pareño, Cecille Suerte Felipe