COPC condemns killing of RMN broadcasters

August 20, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

FORMER president s of one of the oldest media organization in the entire country voiced deep concerns on the recent separate slayings of two Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) radio broadcasters with one saying that there is a need for RMN to look into the security of their personnel.

Cagayan de Oro City former past presidents now Sen. Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr., Jerry Orcullo and Uriel Quilinguing said the gunning down of Dennis Cuesta of RMN Radyo Agong in General Santos City on August 5 and then of Martin Roxas of RMN-dyVR in Roxas City on August 8 illustrates the hazards to which broadcasters are exposed.

They agree that the death of these two RMN broadcasters also portrays the breakdown of law and order in the country.

“The death of Cuesta and Roxas, as in several cases of murdered journalists in the past, were apparently killed by mercenary assasins upon orders of individuals who were hurt but could not tolerate their reporting and commentaries of scandals and venalities in their communities,” Pimentel said in a statement to Gold Star Daily.

Orcullo said these individuals must understand that the slaying of the two RMN radio broadcasters and all the other media practitioners is an attack against press freedom.

He added that he agrees with Pimentel that both Cuesta and Roxas stayed true to their professional oath to report news and articulate their views as factually and objectively as possible regardless of who might get hurt.

The 38-year old Cuesta was ambushed by an unidentified gunman on Aug. 5 and died yesterday from the bullet wounds in his head and body while undergoing treatment in a hospital while Roxas was gunned down by an assassin on motorcycle identified later as Joenel Lastimoso with help from his motorcycle driver Christian Tan.

Quilinguing for his part said, “Since both are broadcasters of RMN, the management to look into its policies on treatment of issues as well as in the training of its people.”

He added that RMN must also take serious steps in instituting precautionary measures for its personnel.

Aside from Cuesta and Roxas slain RMN broadcasters included Nelson Catipay of RMN-DXMY in Cotabato City (April 16, 1998), Olimpio Jalapit of RMN-DXPR in Pagadian City (November 17, 2000) Rolando Ureta of RMN-DYKR in Kalibo, Aklan (January 3, 2001), Rolando Morales of RMN-DWMD South Cotabato (July 3, 2005) and Fernando Batul of RMN in Puerto Princesa City (May 22, 2006).

Pimentel, Orcullo and Quilinguing said statements of condemnation had been issued again and again on the slaying of journalists in the country but no “concrete and convincing results” had been shown to deter the commission of the same.

Since 1986, up to 93 journalists have been killed seven of them were broadcasters from RMN.

CLICK HERE for the latest 2nd Hand Laptops, Mobile Phones, SMART/ GLOBE /TALK 'N TEXT/ TOUCH MOBILE / SUN CELLULAR Postpaid, Pre-paid and International Roaming PROMOS, Philippine Airlines (PAL) and Cebu Pacific Airlines Airline AIRFARE DISCOUNT tickets for sale!

Check out our Updated/Latest List of GOVERNMENT JOBS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT VACANT POSITIONS, PRIVATE JOBS, PRIVATE FULL-TIME JOBS, PRIVATE PART-TIME JOBS and OTHER ONLINE JOBS in this link!

Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro