Marcos condemns killing of broadcaster in Misamis

- Advertisement -

BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and VICTOR REYES

PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday condemned the killing of a radio broadcaster in Misamis Occidental yesterday morning and ordered the police to conduct a thorough investigation and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.

The President took to social media to condemn “in the strongest terms the murder” of Juan “Johny Walker” Jamalon, saying: “Attacks on journalists will not be tolerated in our democracy, and those who threaten the freedom of the press will face the full consequences of their actions.”

- Advertisement -

Jumalon, the station manager of Gold FM 94.7 radio, is the fourth journalist to be slain during the current administration.

Initial reports said Jamalon, while broadcasting from his home in Calamba, Misamis Occidental, was shot twice by a gunman who also grabbed his gold necklace before fleeing the scene.

He was declared dead on arrival at the Calamba District Hospital.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO), on its Facebook page, condemned the killing and said the President and his administration extended their condolences to the family of Jamalon.

“You can be sure of our close monitoring of the case to ensure that his death will receive justice,” the PCO said.

Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Paul Gutierrez called on the Misamis Occidental Police to form a special investigation task group (SITG) to investigate the killing of Jamalon and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Gutierrez said the creation of the task group is among the agreed protocols among PTFoMS members during such incidents.

“Even as we extend our sympathy to the victim’s family and friends over this dastardly attack, we also call on the Misamis Occidental Police Office to immediately constitute its SITG to investigate this incident and apprehend the suspect and others possibly involved in the interest of justice,” he said.

He also called on the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct its own probe and gather evidence in support of the PNP investigation to hasten the resolution of the case.

Gutierrez said while the motive for the killing has yet to be determined, it is considered work-related at the moment.

“We also call on our colleagues in the media and the public not to resort to any speculations or make baseless accusations that can only distract our investigators on the true motive for the attack on Jamalon. Instead, we call on them to provide relevant and factual information that can hasten the resolution of this incident,” he added.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) condemned the “brazen killing,” which it said was caught on a livestream of Jumalon’s show. Jumalon’s home in Calamba, Misamis Occidental served as his radio station.

Jumalon’s killing brings to four the number of journalists killed since Marcos took office in June 2022, and to 199 since democracy was restored in the Philippines in 1986. That figure included 32 killed in a single incident in 2009.

KILLER ALLOWED INSIDE

A report from the Northern Mindanao regional police office said the incident occurred at around 5:35 a.m. at Jumalon’s residence in P-2, Barangay Don Bernardo A. Neri, where his radio booth is situated.

A video of the actual shooting spread online as Jumalon’s show was being streamed live.

Initial police investigation showed the unidentified suspect was allowed entry at Jumalon’s residence because he said he wanted to make an important announcement during the victim’s program.

- Advertisement -spot_img

“Once inside, without no apparent reason, he (suspect) drew his firearm and shot the victim, hitting his lower lip and piercing the back of his head,” the report said.

Policemen conducted checkpoints and dragnet operations for the arrest of the suspect. Police probers are conducting a thorough investigation of the case.

The Misamis Occidental provincial police office and the Northern Mindanao regional police condemned the attack.

“The shooting was (perpetrated) in the middle of an on-air/live in Facebook when the perpetrator entered the radio station and without hesitation shot the victim in the face which caused his untimely death,” the Misamis Occidental police said.

It said the Calamba municipal police station “immediately responded and conducted a check/choke point and dragnet operations for the possible identification and apprehension of the perpetrator/s.

“Further, the PNP will conduct a thorough investigation relative to the incident in order to identify the perpetrator/s,” the Misamis Occidental police said while appealing to witnesses to come forward for the immediate resolution of the case.

Northern Mindanao regional police director Brig. Gen. Ricardo Layug said: “We are now actively conducting a thorough investigation to identify the perpetrators of this crime and bring them to justice.”

Layug said a special investigation task force is due to be created “to spearhead and coordinate the investigative efforts to facilitate the speedy resolution of the case.

“We extend our full support to the media community and underscore the vital collaboration among law enforcement, the community and all the stakeholders in ensuring the safety of all the media practitioners in the region,” said Layug.

“Let us stand united against violence and work towards a society where freedom of expression and of the press is respected and protected,” added Layug.

Jumalon was killed during the observance of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.

“Jumalon’s killing is the 199th since 1986 and the fourth under the present (Marcos) administration,” the NUJP added.

Three other journalists, all radio broadcasters, had been killed during the Marcos administration.

They were Renato Blanco who was stabbed dead in Mabinay town in Negros Oriental in September last year; Percival “Percy” Lapid who was shot dead in Las Pinas City in October last year; and Cresenciano Bunduquin who was shot dead in Calapan City in Oriental Mindoro in May this year.

The Philippines has one of Asia’s most liberal media environments, but it remains one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists, particularly in its provinces.

It ranked as the eighth worst country when it comes to prosecuting killers of journalists, according to the 2023 Global Impunity Index released by the Committee to Protect Journalists released this week. — With Reuters

Author

- Advertisement -

Share post: