Malacañang open to forming crack team to probe killings of journalists

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said yesterday it was open to the formation of an independent crack team to deal with unexplained killings in light of the murder of Christopher Guarin, a radio commentator of RMN Broadcasting Inc. and publisher and editor-in-chief of the local tabloid Tatak in General Santos City.

This developed as press clubs in Central Mindanao urged President Aquino to raise a reward for the arrest of the killers of Guarin.

“We will discuss that suggestion of the crack team but the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) and the PNP (Philippine National Police) are always on hand to act swiftly on these cases,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over radio dzRB.

Valte said the police had acted on the earlier incidents of killings and filed cases.

“I think we can see as we have gone along that even for general crimes, the action is faster. The suspects are not just arrested but there are cases and litigation proceeds,” Valte said.

“This will not be treated any differently. The PNP is focused,” she said.

Valte said they would field the suggestion of coming up with a crack team to the President to get his thoughts on the matter.

She called on media people to report threats to their lives so the authorities could provide them security.

“If you’re working on a sensitive story and you feel that there are threats already to your life or to your safety and to the safety of your family, please let us know so we can help you – we can extend assistance already before anything unfortunate happens,” Valte said.

On Friday, Malacañang condemned in the strongest possible terms the killing of Guarin.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the PNP had identified leads and “they are in hot pursuit.”

Local chapters of the National Union of Journalists in the Philipines (NUJP) have likewise condemned the murder of Guarin, publisher of the Tatak tabloid, which is published and circulated in Gen. Santos City and surrounding towns. He also has a blocktime program over a local radio station.

In a statement, the Kampilan Press Corps, which groups more than a dozen journalists covering the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, said DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo should immediately offer a reward to be paid to anyone who could provide information that would lead to the arrest of Guarin’s killers. – With John Unson