PRESS RELEASE
30 July 2009

“Five (5) cases involving media killings resolved by TF211 in a matter of weeks” - Blancaflor

The Arroyo administration has been making significant headway in its fight against political violence and extra-legal killings, more importantly those involving media practitioners. This is contrary to the claim of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) that the country should be considered as part of the “world league of infamy”, Task Force 211 Chairman and Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor today said.

“Five (5) media killings were resolved by the task force in a matter of weeks”, including the case of Ernesto Rollin of DxSY-AM who was gunned down by motorcycle-riding men in 23 February of this year”, Blancaflor added.

In the previous year, four media-related killings were handled by TF211. Undersecretary Blancaflor personally oversaw the investigation, apprehension and eventual filing of charges against the perpetrators in the cases of Bert Sison, Dennis Cuesta, Martin Roxas and Arecio Padrigao. All four were resolved with the suspects apprehended and filed with the necessary charges.

In the list provided by the National Union of Filipino Journalists (NUJP) to the GMANews.TV stating that five (5) media practitioners were killed this year. Four (4) of the five (5) mentioned were not work-related. Only the case of Rollin was considered as work-related and as such was handled by TF211, Blancaflor explained.

“Of the four mentioned above, one involving Atty. Crispin Perez of DwDO in Occidental Mindoro was considered by Task Force Usig as politically motivated and the other one involving Badrudin Abas of DxCM Radyo Ukay maybe considered as a mistaken identity case. For these reasons, TF211 did not oversee the arrests and prosecution of the aforementioned cases”, Blancaflor said.

“In relation to the case of Antonio Castillo of Uson, Mindoro, the case is still undergoing investigation”, Blancaflor explained.

“On the matter involving the killing of Jonathan Petalvero DxVM-FM in Agusan del Sur, TF211 already coordinated with Provincial Prosecutor Horacio Gonzaga. I was informed that the filing of the case against the suspects in the killing of Petalvero will be done anytime today 31 July 2009. The resolution was already approved by the Office of the Prosecutor,” Blancaflor said.

Blancaflor further explained, “in the recent incident involving another media practitioner Godofredo Linao of 94.5 Magic Love. Linao was killed by two (2) motorcycle-riding men last 27 July 2009. The task force was informed that the resolution has been finalized but because of the distance between Surigao City and Tandag, Surigao del Sur, there will be some delay”.

“Please be assured that the task force, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP) will not be deterred in their determination and commitment to bring to justice the perpetrators of these crimes”, Blancaflor said.

“We, however, ask our partners among local and international non-government organizations (NGOs), involved in media work to at least be fair in their evaluation of the Philippines. Accuracy is very important in news gathering and this must be emphasized among all media NGOs,” Blancaflor added.