Broadcaster’s slay condemned

GENERAL SANTOS CITY - Local media organizations in the city met yesterday to condemn the killing of radio commentator and publisher Ely Binoya by still unidentified assassins in a remote barangay here on Thursday.

During the meeting held at Camp Fermin here, local media men denounced the crime and signed a manifesto, which described the senseless killing of Binoya as a "cowardly act."

Binoya, a hard-hitting commentator and manager of Radyo Natin and publisher of the weekly Matutum Monitor based in Malungon town in Sarangani, was shot three times in the back while on board a motorcycle.

James Catalan, manager of dxDX and president of the local Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster sa Pilipinas, said government authorities should act immediately to give justice to the killing of Binoya.

Reports said that Binoya, 48, was mauled by three relatives of Malungon town mayor Teody Padernilla while he was having lunch inside an eatery in the town.

After the mauling incident, Binoya reportedly laced his radio program with comments about the assault and continued to attack the mayor and the local police for their hesitation to conduct an investigation of the incident.

Binoya and some media friends had earlier sought police protection because he was already receiving death threats for his nasty commentaries against Padernilla, particulary on alleged anomalies in the town hall.

Police said the attack on Binoy came an hour after he formally filed charges against the suspects.

Meanwhile, print and broadcast journalists in South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat have also strongly condemned Binoya’s murder. Aside from local press organizations, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has also called on authorities to investigate the case thoroughly and urged President Arroyo to make good her promise to protect journalists.

An average of three journalists are killed every year in the Philippines, prompting some international press groups to label the country as one of the most dangerous places for reporters.

Other groups which have joined the call for action regarding this blatant violation of press freedom were the Federation of Provincial Press Clubs of the Philippines (FPPCP) and the Publishers and Editors League of the Philippines (PELP). — With Ramil Bajo, AFP