THE National Press Club of the Philippines on Wednesday denounced the killing of two mediamen, one of whom is a card-bearing member of the Club, in Quezon City Tuesday night.
NPC president Benny Antiporda, in a statement, condemned the killing of Richard Kho and Bonifacio Loreto in the strongest terms as he called on authorities to leave no stone unturned in going after the perpetrators and unmasking the mastermind behind the gruesome crime.
“This is yet another slap on the face of the Aquino government and an affront to press freedom. Media killers are getting bolder each day primarily because the government is inutile in solving similar crimes and in protecting journalists,” Antiporda said.
“We are growing sick and tired of government’s inaction but giving up the fight is farthest from our minds. The killing of Kho and Loreto behooves the Philippine National Police and other law enforcement agencies to do their job of ensuring the protection not only of mediamen but ordinary Filipinos as well,” he added.
The NPC secretariat said Kho was a member who even voted during the last NPC elections. He was then writing for the daily People’s Balita.
Police reports indicated that the victims, who are both columnists of the weekly Aksyon Ngayon newspaper, were shot by still unidentified suspects at Pilot Drive in Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City around 11 p.m. Tuesday.
The two were having a drink with a certain Rey Moreno in front of a convenient store when the suspects arrived and shot them. Moreno was unhurt.
For his part, NPC Press Freedom Committee chairman Joel Sy Egco urged the PNP leadership under Dir. Gen. Alan Purisima to hasten the release of the new guidelines in the issuance of permit to carry firearm outside residence (PTCFOR) to allow members of the press to carry their own guns.
“We have been getting numerous complaints regarding the ongoing process in securing PTCFOR. Do hired guns and other criminals undergo the same stringent procedure? The PNP should rationalize the issuance of permits because now, one practically has to go through the needle’s eye before being allowed to go out of the house armed,” Egco said.
He explained that while arming does not entirely solve the problem of journalist killings, it provides some sort of a protective cloak or a deterrent against assassins.
“Some PNP men themselves are involved in countless gruesome crimes. Some even worse than those done by ordinary criminals. How can we count on our policemen to protect use 24/7? Their role now is post facto not proactive. They come in only when you are already dead!” Egco added.
Meanwhile, Antiporda said Kho’s family is eligible for assistance, the victim being an active member of the NPC.
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