MANILA (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 12, 2012) – Philippine media groups have put a P100,000 reward for any information that would lead authorities to the identities of gunmen who shot and wounded a journalist in Manila.
Gunmen shot Fernan Angeles, who writes for the Daily Tribune and a member of the press corps covering President Benigno Aquino.
The bounty was put up by the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC), Alyansa ng Filipinong Mamamahayag (Afima) and Alab ng Mamamahayag (ALAM).
NPC President Jerry Yap and Afima President Benny Antiporda have both called on President Aquino to abolish the Philippine National Police-Task Force Usig and the Justice Department’s Task Force 211, since the two agencies have failed miserably in doing their mandate.
“The President must create a new, more dependable group that will run after attackers and killers of journalists. A more dedicated agency that will bring perpetrators of these heinous acts to the bars of justice. Task Force Usig and Task Force 211 have not done anything significant at all in solving this problem. They should be abolished and replaced,” said Yap, who is also chairman of newly-formed advocacy group called, ALAM.
Angeles, 41, was mauled, shot and severely wounded by gunmen near his house in Pasig City on Sunday night. The attempt on his life was premeditated since he was shot in an apparent ambush along Evangelista Street in the village of Pinagbuhatan at around 10 p.m.
Angeles sustained six gunshot wounds and a bone fracture and is recuperating at the intensive care unit of the Pasig City General Hospital.
Yap visited the journalist to personally assess his condition. He said Angeles is still “fighting for his life.”
Antiporda also called on authorities to immediately solve Angeles’ case.
Besides raising the reward money, he also asked police to check if the incident was caught by any of the CCTV cameras in the area.
“The attack on Mr. Angeles is most probably work-related and we treat this as an affront to press freedom. We hope for him to get better soon because he is in the best position to identify his attackers or even the mastermind,” Antiporda said.
Media groups have expressed alarm and disgust over the Aquino administration’s failure to curb the problem of journalist killings, which grew at a faster rate in less than two years of the administration.
Data culled by the NPC Press Freedom Committee chaired by Director Joel Egco indicated that there were more mediamen killed during President Aquino’s first 20 months in office than former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo’s first two years.
“Based on our statistics, there were five mediamen killed in the first two years of the Arroyo administration. They were Mohammad Yusoph of Radio DXID Pagadian City (February 23, 2001); Joy Mortel of Mindoro Guardian (May 31, 2001); Candelario Cayona of Radio DXLL in Zamboanga City (May 30, 2001); Edgar Damalerio of Zamboanga Scribe and DXKP Radio also in Pagadian City (May 13, 2002); and Rhode Sonny Esguerra Alcantara of “Quo Vadis San Pablo” and Kokus in San Pablo, Laguna (August 22, 2002),” said NPC President Jerry Yap, quoting a report by Egco.
To their dismay, the NPC officials found out that in less than two years of the Aquino administration, 12 journalists had been slain, the latest of whom was Christopher Guarin who was shot several times in front of his wife and kid in General Santos City last January 5.
“Journalists die at a more serious and alarming rate these days. This is a sad fact. The fact that the Aquino government’s rhetoric and lip service do not help in solving, much less preventing, these attacks on members of the press which we see as an affront to press freedom,” Egco, who is also The Manila Times’ assignments editor and chief of reporters, said.
The dozen journalists killed under Aquino surpassed those registered during the incumbency of his mother, Corazon, and even during the Ramos, Estrada and Arroyo administrations in their respective first two and a half years.
Prior to the attack on Angeles and Guarin’s killing in January, the other members of the press who were murdered since Aquino assumed office were Jose Daguio in Kalinga province (July 3, 2010); Miguel Belen of DWEB FM in Camarines Sur (July 9, 20100; Edilberto Cruz of Salida talboid in Nueva Ecija (August 1, 2010).
And Edison Falmeniana Sr. of Mindanao Inquirer in Zamboanga Del Sur (December 10, 2010); Dr. Gerry Ortega of Puerto Princesa, Palawan (January 24, 2011); Cirilo Gallardo of DWWW FM in Abra (February 1, 2011); Len Flores Somera of DZME in Manila (March 24, 2011); Romeo Olea of DWEB-FM in Bicol (June 13, 2011); Neil Aranga Jimena of dyRP Iloilo and dyAG in Cadiz City (August 22, 2011); Datu Roy Quijada Gallego, a radio commentator in Caraga Region (October 14, 2011); and Alfredo “Dodong” Velarde Jr. of Brigada News in Gen. Santos City (November 11, 2011).
Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said they have ordered a thorough investigation into the shooting.
“We are deeply shocked and concerned over the shooting of Malacañang Press Corps and Daily Tribune reporter Fernan J. Angeles. (Interior) Secretary (Jesse) Robredo has directed a thorough investigation.”
“We have also been in close contact with Mr. Angeles’ wife so as to render assistance to them in their hour of need. We have also communicated with the officers of MPC (Malakanyang Press Corps) to assure them that all will be done to ensure the welfare and recovery of Mr. Angeles,” Lacierda said.
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