Does P-Noy care for murdered journalists?
March 5, 2012 Statement of National Press Club President
Jerry S. Yap.
Does P-Noy care
for murdered journalists?
On March 2, 2012, an Iloilo
broadcaster was shot. He is now in a hospital. But this is not the point.
A few days before Benigno Simeon
Aquino III took his oath as the 15th President of the Republic, he
was greeted by three incidents of three journalists getting murdered. After taking his oath with a big note on war
versus “wang-wang”, P-Noy was welcomed to his office by two journalists murdered
in a week.
Right on his first State of the
Nation Address (SONA), he announced the filing of cases against persons suspected
in murdering radio commentator Jose Daguio on July 3, 2010 in Tabuk, Kalinga
and persons tagged as the ones who killed radio field report Miguel Belen on
July 9, 2010 in Nabua, Camarines Sur.
A week after the SONA, Salida
tabloid publisher Edliberto Cruz was shot dead on August 1, 2010 in Cabanatuan
City. Nothing has been heard on this
case since then.
Before 2010 came to a close, Mindanao
Inquirer columnist Edison Flameniana Sr. was shot dead on December 10, 2010 in Labangan,
Zamboanga del Sur. Nothing has been
heard on this case.
On January 24, 2011, radio
broadcaster Dr. Gerry “Doc Gerry” Ortega was shot dead inside an ukay-ukay store in Puerto Princesa
City. The Department of Justice
dismissed the charges against suspected masterminds, former governors Joel T.
Reyes of Palawan and Antonio Carreon of Marinduque, Reyes’ administrator Romeo
Serratubias, and others.
A week later, broadcaster Cirilo
Gallarado was shot dead on February 1, 2011 in Bangued, Abra. Nothing has been
heard of this case.
A month later, broadcaster Len
Flores Somera was shot dead in Maysilo, Malabon City on March 24, 2011. Nothing
has been heard of her case.
On June 13, 2011,
reporter-announcer Romeo Olea was killed in Iriga, Camarines Sur. Nothing has been heard of his case.
On August 22, 2011, broadcaster
Niel Aranga Jimena was shot dead in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental. Nothing has been heard of his case.
On October 14, 211, Manobo tribesman
broadcaster Datu Roy Quijada Gallego was shot dead in Liangga, Surigao del Sur.
Nothing has been heard of his case.
On November 11, 2011, newsman
Alfredo “Dodong” Velardo Jr. was shot dead in General Santos City. Nothing has been heard of his case.
On January 5, 2012, broadcaster
writer Christopher Guarin was shot dead in Barangay Lagao, General Santos
City. Nothing has been heard of this case,
too.
On March 2, 2012, block timer radio
commentator Fernando Gabio was shot in Jaro, Iloilo City. Luckily, he is still recuperating
at Iiloilo Mission Hospital. His case
will go to naught, too.
With this list of unresolved
crimes of murdering newsmen just going longer, can the National Press Club
still accept a presumption that P-Noy cares for journalists?
Only P-Noy can answer.
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