EDITORIAL – Silenced

On the day Malacañang complained about the classification of the Philippines as "the most murderous country for journalists," a radio broadcaster was gunned down in Dipolog City. Klien Cantoneros, dxAA commentator, was riding home on his motorcycle at past midnight Tuesday when he was shot by three men. Before the day was over, Cantoneros was dead, his body riddled with six bullets.

Before his murder, he had been broadcasting in his radio program death threats sent to him by text messaging. Those messages may provide a clue to the suspects, but no one is holding his breath about the arrest of the culprits. If the Philippines has become the most murderous country for journalists, it is because those who target members of the press know they can get away with it. Since 1986 when democracy was restored in this country, nearly 70 journalists have been murdered, more than 20 of them in the past three years alone. Most of the murders are unsolved.

And most of the murders are believed to be the handiwork of people who have in their pockets those whose cooperation is needed to bring justice to a murdered journalist.

On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists had tagged the Philippines as "the most murderous country" for the press. The tag was based on the number of journalists who were deliberately killed in connection with their work rather than those who were caught in the crossfire in conflict areas such as Iraq, which was ranked second to the Philippines. Malacañang said the tag was "unfair and exaggerated" and gave the usual assurance that authorities were working to solve the murders of journalists.

Crime solution, however, can be nearly impossible when powerful people are obstructing justice. In many of the murders of journalists, suspicion is focused on politicians and police officers. Fear of these powerful people keeps witnesses from surfacing and discourages investigators from solving a murder. Yesterday police in Dipolog said there were still no leads on the killing of Cantoneros. At the rate the probe is going, this case will simply be added to the list of unsolved murders of journalists. As the list grows, so will the brazenness of those who have found a quick and easy way of silencing the press.