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Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Most killings of journalists ‘not job-related’
Amid the unsolved killing of media workers in the country, broadcast journalists urged their colleagues to keep a sense of professionalism and responsibility in practicing their craft.
The issue of media killings was discussed on the third day of the Press Freedom Week celebration yesterday, where media practitioners and mass communications students recalled the murder of some journalists.
Preceding the forum held at the University of the Philippines-Cebu College, a video documentary on “Killings of Journalists-The Cebu Experience” was shown for the first time to students and some members of the Cebu media.
Panel
A panel of speakers, including Leo Lastimosa and Bobby Nalzaro of the network giants ABS-CBN and GMA, respectively, and chapter president Ed Abad of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas, pushed for keeping a sense of professionalism and responsibility within the industry.
They admitted that doubtful conduct among members of the industry may be responsible for some of the killings in parts of Luzon and Mindanao.
But while the country has been described as one of the most dangerous countries for the practice of journalism, Cebu remains safe for the media workers, the panelists said.
Except for the murder of print journalist Antonio Abad Tormis in 1961, no other work-related killing of a media practitioner has been recorded in Cebu.
“Actually, as what has been shown, most of the killings were not work-related. But it does not mean that if it’s not work-related, we are not doing anything about it. The KBP held seminars to give members of the media some kind of protection and to guide them on what to do and how to conduct themselves on air,” said lawyer Cynthia Barte of the Radio Mindanao Network.
Accountability
In the documentary, Mayette Tabada, UP lecturer and Sun.Star Cebu contributing writer, said the willingness of media institutions in Cebu to be publicly accountable is a factor why journalists remain safe and respected here.
“If there are mechanisms on errors and lapses, things don’t have to turn violent,” she said.
They also urged all media practitioners not to give in to pressure and to stand by the truth at all times.
The panelists said that some of those who were killed were radio commentators who worked on the side as press relations officers for politicians and businessmen.
But Nalzaro said that while some of the media personalities who were killed had questionable backgrounds, the others were killed because of their exposes against corrupt government officials.
In the killing of Cebu City Bantay Dagat Commission project director Jojo dela Victoria, who was also a radio personality, Nalzaro doubted that SPO1 Marcial Ocampo, who was convicted the other day, acted on his own.
Risky games
Lastimosa also noted the failure of law enforcers, the police in particular, to solve the killings not only of journalists but also civilians in Cebu.
For veteran writer Juan Mercado, one of those interviewed for the documentary, journalists and broadcasters in the provinces are the ones who are at risk.
“They are the block-timers who play games with politicians and smugglers,” he said.
Some 100 students from the Cebu Normal University, UP Cebu, St. Theresa’s College and Cebu Institute of Technology attended the activity yesterday.
The video documentary, written by Sun.Star Cebu editor-in-chief Pachi-co A. Seares and directed by Sun.Star Cebu’s Publio Briones III, also showed clips of an interview with retired National Bureau of Investigation director Florencio Villarin.
Villarin, then unit head of the Criminal Investigation Service (CIS) of the defunct Philippine Constabulary, led the investigation on the Abad Tormis murder.
The investigation resulted in the separate arrests, prosecution and conviction of then Cebu City Treasurer Felipe Pareja, Cesario Orongan, Avelino Mon-zolin and Gaspar Mesa.
Conscience
Tormis, then editor of the Republic News, was shot thrice with a .32 cal. firearm that was later recovered in Pareja’s office safe.
Pareja had been the subject of Tormis’ commentary on graft.
Two other newsmen have been killed since then: Allan Dizon of The Freeman and George Benaojan of radio dyDD. Both killings were not related to their job, investigators said.
As for the suggestion of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales to arm and provide bodyguards to media people who have received death threats, KBP’s Abad disagreed, since it is too costly and the media workers will not be able to afford it.
“If you honestly feel that you’re doing a good job, and you’re a responsible journalist, I don’t think there’s a need to carry (a firearm),” Barte said.
Lastimosa added that a journalist’s best defense against threats is “a clean conscience.” (KNR/EOB)
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