Mass marks anniversary of photojournalist's death

A Mass was celebrated yesterday at the Queen City Gardens in the North Reclamation Area to commemorate the first death anniversary of Allan Dizon, the slain photojournalist of The FREEMAN and Banat News.

Rev. Fr. Julius Pelarion, from the San Carlos Seminary, celebrated the Mass attended by Allan's relatives and friends and some members of the media.

Also present were city councilor Agustus "Jun" Pe Jr., Thelma Chiong of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, and Tejero barangay captain Leto Fajardo.

Allan's erstwhile partner, Amelina, told The FREEMAN she has not fully recovered yet from the sudden death of Allan but has so far been satisfied with the way the court proceeds to resolve the murder case.

She admitted feeling excited over the coming promulgation of the case December 20, believing that Allan would get justice by that time. She said it has been her wish that, by that time, she will receive the greatest gift ever for Christmas and her birthday on December 30.

Amelina thanked councilor Pe and Chiong for their continuing support for her since the time Allan was killed until now, especially over financial matters.

Pe, however, was saddened to notice that only a few people from the media attended the commemoration of the death of their peer, saying it seemed that only a few have remembered Allan this time compared to the protest marches held at the time Allan was killed.

Two men on a motorcycle shot Dizon to death at the corner of Soriano and Kaohsiung streets, near a mall at the north reclamation area, on November 27, 2004. He was 30 at the time.

Since then, local dailies made a countdown for the police to hunt for the assailant. Then by December 6 that year, police arrested Edgar Belandres, the suspected killer, who is now detained at the Bagong Buhay Rehabilitation Center.

Two witnesses, Justiniano Doller and Epifanio Barcuma, tagged Belandres as the killer of Dizon.

A marathon trial then kicked off early February at the sala of Regional Trial Court Branch 5 judge Ireneo Gako, who has set the promulgation of the case on December 20.

Allan was the 12th mediaman killed last year in the country and the first in Cebu. He left behind three children from his wife Nimfa, and also a daughter with Amelina. - Norvie S. Misa, correspondent