Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Gunmen kill activist couple in Pagadian City
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Unidentified gunmen shot and killed an activist and his wife in an attack late Monday afternoon in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato in the main island of Mindanao, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said.
It said the gunmen attacked George Vigo, 33, a writer for the Union of Catholic Asian News (UCAN), and his wife, Mazel Alave, 36, who hosted a program in Catholic-run radio station dxND in Sandawa district in Kidapawan City.
The gunmen escaped after shooting the duo and the motive of the attack is still unknown, the media watchdog said.
There were no other details about the attack, but media groups in the Philippines were quick to condemn the killings and urged authorities to hunt down the assailants.
The NUJP said Vigo also was the executive director of the non-governmental organization People's Kauyahan Foundation Inc. (PKFI), which was behind many peace forums and dialogues in North Cotabato and Maguindanao provinces, while Mazel was reportedly a member of the leftist Bagong Alyansang Makabayan.
Other reports said Mazel was also working for Representative Lala Santos of North Cotabato, but it was unknown if her job as media liaison had anything to do with the attack. The couple also founded the Federation of Reporters for Empowerment and Equality in the province. They left behind five children.
Last month, gunmen also killed Fernando Batul, a broadcaster based in Palawan Province in the central Philippines. He was the fifth journalist killed this year, 42nd to die under the Arroyo administration, and 79th since 1986 when press freedom was supposed to have been restored. (Sun.Star Zamboanga/Sunnex)
(June 20, 2006 issue)
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