PNP probes into shooting of journalist in Quezon City
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police ordered a thorough probe in the killing on Tuesday, August 17, of a tabloid business executive in Quezon City.
In a statement sent to reporters Wednesday afternoon, Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, said all angles must be looked into to determine the motive in the killing and identify the perpetrators.
To recall, Gwenn Salamida, who was the former editor and operations manager of tabloid Remate and an employee at Saksi Ngayon, was shot dead by a gunman who barged into her beauty salon in Quezon City.
According to the initial report by the Quezon City Police District, Salamida's companion was also shot and is in critical condition.
“I have tasked the Quezon City Police District to thoroughly investigate this incident. We'll look at every angle to discover the motive,” the PNP chief said in Filipino.
Quezon City police said they were initially eyeing robbery as the motive behind the crime.
Eleazar in his statement Wednesday expressed sympathy to the grieving family of the victim.
"We extend our condolences to the victim's family and we will ensure that justice is served in her death," he said.
Eleazar also directed all police offices and units to remain on alert against criminality amid their duty of enforcing quarantine protocols.
“I am also directing all police offices and units to sustain anti-criminality operations and to be on alert for criminals who would take advantage of the pandemic. We need to ensure that the public is not only safe from coronavirus infection but also safe from lawless elements,” he said.
State of the Media 2021 pic.twitter.com/AwnriTvFM5
— NUJP (@nujp) July 25, 2021
This comes less than a month after a radio commentator in a Cebu-based station was shot on Thursday morning after he finished his program.
Media and human rights groups alike have slammed what they said are continuing attacks on press freedom in the country, with the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility recording at least 19 journalists have been killed within President Rodrigo Duterte’s term.
At his inauguration in 2016, the president also said: "Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination if you’re a son of a bitch."
— Franco Luna
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