BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A P500,000 cash reward is being offered by the Iloilo Press Club (IPC) for any one who can lead to the arrest of the killers of an Iloilo-based radio commentator who was gunned down in E. B. Magalona, Negros Occidental Monday.
In a letter signed by its president Rommel Ynion, the IPC said the Iloilo media condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of their colleague and member, radio commentator Neil "Lito" Jimena.
"We urge those who may have valuable knowledge or information regarding this case to come forward so that the truth behind the dastardly deed can see the light of day," the group said. "For this reason, the IPC is offering a P500,000 reward for any information that will lead to the arrest of Jimena's killers and their masterminds," they said.
"Jimena was killed by assassins who shot him three times in the body and twice in the head, and this was clearly the handiwork of hired hitmen, professional assassins working against the interest of press freedom," the IPC letter reads.
"Even as we deeply mourn the loss of a fallen colleague and express our condolences to his bereaved family, we strongly urge the Philippine National Police and all other law enforcement authorities to look deeply into the circumstances behind Jimena's slay so that the perpetrators can be quickly identified and brought before the bar of justice," said the IPC.
Malacañang also condemned the murder Jimena. In a statement Wednesday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda assured Jimena's family that the full force of the law is being applied to immediately identify and apprehend the perpetrators of the crime. "We have tasked the PNP to constantly update us on the progress of their investigation," Lacierda said.
Jimena, 42, a native of Iloilo City but was temporarily living in Brgy. Alicante E.B. Magalona, was supposed to start a block-time program with Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) in Iloilo City Tuesday night, sources said. He was a blocktimer for several radio stations in Iloilo and had worked with the weekly newspaper, Dyaryo Ilonggo, sources said.
Police reports said Jimena was riding his motorcycle along Hacienda San Jose Brgy. Damgo in E.B. Magalona when shot to death by two men on another motorcycle who was chasing him, witnesses said. He was declared dead on arrival at the nearby Teresita L. Jalandoni Provincial Hospital in Silay City from five gunshot wounds from a .45 caliber pistol.
Jimena was reportedly an asset of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) but was terminated sometime in 2008, and there were suspicions that his killing was drug-related. Ronnie Delicana, chief of PDEA-6 legal department, however said it would be premature to link illegal drugs in the death of Jimena.
Jimena, who acted as a PDEA informant three years back, was also a part-time journalist in Bacolod. "We don't consider him an asset but just an informant. There were also no significant targets or information that could be linked to him," Delicana said.
E.B. Magalona town police OIC, SPO4 Leonardo Cobing, said the killing may have been linked to Jimena's twice-a-week show titled, "Judge" over DyRI-RMN in Iloilo City where he regularly criticize city officials.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also called for an "investigation on Jimena's killing." — Danny B. Dangcalan with reports from Jennifer Rendon and The Philippine Star (THE FREEMAN)