Task Force Usig, NUJP to discuss upsurge in media killings

MANILA, Philippines – The upsurge in media and militant killings prompted Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and officials of the Task Force Usig to revive close coordination with the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and other media organizations.

Razon, Task Force Usig chief Director Jefferson Soriano, and other PNP officials are set to meet today with NUJP officials, led by its president Rowena Paraan, at PNP headquarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“General Razon initiated the meeting to address incidents of killings involving members of the media,” Soriano told The STAR.

“We will coordinate with the NUJP and possibly other media organizations so we can get information about their members who have been receiving threats so we can provide security or come up with measures that would prevent attack,” he said.

The PNP has recorded a rise in media and militants’ killings for the past months, with the death of three broadcasters in Quezon, General Santos City in South Cotabato, and Roxas City in Capiz.

Chief Superintendent Henry Libay, head of the Task Force Usig secretariat, told The STAR that they have already handled four new cases of militant and media killings this year.

These are the murder of Celso Pojas, a member of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in Davao City; Fausto Bert Sison, a blocktimer of radio station DzAT in Quezon; and Dennis Cuesta of DxMD-RMN in General Santos City; and Martin Roxas, anchorman/reporter of RMN in Roxas City.

Libay noted that there was only one member of the media and five militant individuals killed in 2007, which indicated a sharp decrease, compared to the killing of 41 mediamen and militants in 2006.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome said the PNP chief is addressing the issue on media and militant killings.

“Gen. Razon has directed all police units to liaison with the media and ensure their safety. We also advise media to report to the police any threat on their persons in line with their profession,” Bartolome said.

Libay said the TF Usig has yet to take over the case of Ronald Julian, a former broadcaster at the Filipinas Broadcaster Network (dzGE) in Camarines Sur who was shot dead over the weekend.

“We usually do not investigate killings of former members of the media because their cases do not fall under our mandate,” Libay told The STAR. “Their cases are handled by investigators in the field.”

Julian was cruising Barangay San Isidro on board a motorcycle when two assailants fired at him. He suffered six gunshot wounds in the body. Julian worked in dzGE and dzLB in Naga but became an executive assistant at the municipal government of Magaroa when his brother Nelson was elected mayor in 2004.

In the case of Roel Dotarot, 36, an alleged organizer of militant group Bayan Muna, Libay said the TF Usig would check records with investigators in Tagum City, Compostela Valley.

Dotarot, who also doubled as motorcycle driver, was waiting for passengers in Purok Narra,  Barangay Banlag, Tagum City when unidentified motorcycle-riding men shot him at around 1 p.m. last Aug. 15.

Last July 1, Sison was ambushed by two unidentified men riding on a motorcycle at Sitio Palomero, Barangay Lutucan Bata, Sariaya, Quezon.

Sison was driving his blue Toyota Corolla (PEU-887) whose passengers were his daughters Liwayway Sison, 30, married, reporter; Almira Sison 24, single, reporter.