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Thursday, December 02, 2004
'Text' cop sacked; NBI has a witness
By Mia E. Abellana
CEBU CITY -- A policeman who had arranged to meet with Allan Dizon, before the photographer was killed Saturday night, was relieved yesterday, on orders of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeņa.
While PO2 Brazilio Borinaga awaits investigation, at least one witness has turned up who may be able to explain to authorities why Dizon was killed and on whose bidding.
Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia promised full protection for whoever comes out to testify against the killers.
Like the governor, the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Cebu Newspaper Workers' Foundation called on authorities to speed up the investigation, arrest and prosecution of Dizon's killers.
Five days after Dizon was gunned down, law enforcers have yet to identify and arrest the two men who attacked him at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Mabolo, Cebu City.
He was the 12th journalist killed in the Philippines this year, and the attack prompted an indignation rally yesterday organized by the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists.
Their message: you cannot silence the press.
Dizon's wife, Amelina, repeatedly asked between sobs for help in bringing justice to her husband's murder.
"Tabangi intawon ko ninyo..suportahi intawon ko ninyo," she said.
Losing hope
Governor Garcia hand-ed Amelina two envelopes that contained donations from Capitol workers.
"We never thought that Dizon's murder would happen in our midst. There is too much injustice that has been allowed to go on too long," Garcia said in her speech.
She pledged full protection for witnesses in the Dizon case, hampered so far by the absence of detailed descriptions of the helmet-wearing gunman.
"There is still some hope in the government, let us help each other. Let us not lose hope," she said.
The rally was preceded by a mass officiated by Fr. Dan delos Angeles at the Capitol Social Hall. Reporters, editors, columnists and commentators from different print and broadcast outlets, representatives of the Crusade Against Violence and students attended the affair, which ended two hours later with the ceremonial lighting of candles and singing of religious songs.
Earlier in the day, Mayor Osmeņa ordered the relief of PO2 Borinaga, whom Dizon texted minutes before he was shot dead at the corner of Kaohsiung and A. Soriano Sts.
Anger
Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau Chief Pablo Labra II said he enforced Osmeņa's order as soon as he received it yesterday. He temporarily detailed Borinaga with the Security and Service Group of the Cebu City Police Office.
"Kalma lang siya. He understands the procedure," Labra said, when asked how Borinaga took his relief.
There was more anger than calm in the rally.
Fr. delos Angeles spoke of his personal grief over the murder of Dizon, who was a former colleague in radio dyRC.
In his homily, he reminded journalists not to be intimidated from telling the truth, to work responsibly and to shun corruption.
"Being a journalist is like playing Russian roulette. There are people who cannot accept the truth. There are those who do not want to see the light," he said.
After the mass, the group moved to the front of the Capitol building.
It was at that gathering that Tumulak reported a witness had come to him.
After their talk, he turned the witness over to the National Bureau of Investigation.
Various speakers then took turns expressing indignation at Dizon's murder.
25 under Arroyo
Broadcaster Bobby Nalzaro, regional coordinator of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, said that like any organization, the media industry has bad eggs, but that killing cannot be justified in any way.
Secretary-general Carlos Conde of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines pointed out that unsolved murders, not just of journalists, signal a breakdown in law and order and highlight an "inutile" justice system.
Dizon, he added, is the 25th member of the press killed in four years under President Arroyo's administration.
The Freeman, where Dizon worked as photographer, said in a message read by reporter Mitchelle Calipayan that the paper is concerned about the failure to identify suspects, despite joint investigations by different police units.
"Yet what have come out instead are things that tend to cast aspersions on whatever dignity is left of Allan's memory and we are saddened by this. Allan is the victim here. The investigation is supposed to get his killer, not kill Allan twice," the message read.
(December 2, 2004 issue)
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