Slain publisher's kin seek justice

LOAY, BOHOL, Philippines  – Relatives of the slain tabloid publisher Antonio “Tony” Molina Silagon of this town have cried for justice and urged authorities to speed up the probe leading to the arrest of the killers.

Gina Silagon Solis, daughter of Tony and spokesperson of the family, told The FREEMAN that her family wanted justice be served to his father and perpetrators put behind bars in accordance with law.

Tony’s remains are now laid at his residence in Upper Loay Poblacion of this town. He was publisher of the only daily tabloid, Bohol Balita Daily News, in the vernacular and based in Trinidad town.

Tony, who was to celebrate his 74th birthday on January 9, 2012, was shot to death Thursday morning near a bus terminal along sitio Lanao of Barangay Dao in Tagbilaran City.

He was walking alone from his house to the terminal to take a bus ride to this town, early Thursday morning, when two still unidentified motorcycle-riding assailants, one of whom was a woman, accosted him and pumped bullets to his body before fleeing from the scene.

Tony was pronounced dead at around 3 p.m. while being treated at the Gov. Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital, police report said. He is survived by his wife, Arlinda, children Rey, Lilian, Gina, Resse and Leizl, and 11 grandchildren.

As of yesterday, police authorities pursuing the case remained clueless on the identities of the killers and the motive of the killing.

Gina said the family wanted to know the killers of her father, saying those responsible have no right to take his life, even if he erred in whatever ways and dealings while he was alive. “Why shoot him,” she asked, adding that she had no idea on the motive behind the killing of her father.

Tony was also chief executive officer of the Loay Community Multi-purpose Cooperative, which became financially stable and branched out to at least seven other towns during his term. In separate interviews, coop officers would not give comment on why he was slain.

National officers of NATCO, a national federation of cooperatives, were slated to come here but failed as they were reportedly stranded in Cebu City due to the typhoon “Sendong.” They were supposed to hold a press conference at the cooperative-owned building and office in this town.

As this developed, members of the interim National Union of Journalist of the Philippines-Bohol chapter condemned Tony’s killing and expressed sympathy to the Silagon family. NUJP said it was an assault to press freedom and urged authorities to bring the killers to justice. It warned that if Silagon’s case won’t be solved and justice denied, the culture of impunity continues. “How many more journalists will be shot,” it asked. (FREEMAN)