Reporters
Without Borders is dismayed to learn that photo-journalist Mario Sy was fatally
shot yesterday in his home in General Santos City, in the far-south province of
South Cotabato, by a gunman who immediately fled.
Sy
was the third journalist to be gunned down in the Philippines in the space of
two days.
“As
in the double-murder of Bonifacio Loreto and Richard Kho just two days before,
the method used in the Sy murder shows that he was clearly targeted,” Reporters
Without Borders said.
“We
urge investigators not to neglect the possibility that these journalists were
killed in connection with his work, and we urge the authorities to put all the
necessary resources at their disposal, so that they can identify those
responsible for these cold-blooded murders and bring them so justice
“If
suspicions are confirmed, Sy’s death brings to six the number of journalists
killed in connection with their work so far this year in the Philippines. This
puts it among the world’s deadliest countries for media personnel, alongside
Syria and Pakistan. This is unacceptable. Impunity breeds more violence, which
will only be stopped by exemplary punishments.”
Sy
was shot twice by an unidentified individual who had entered his home. The
Centre for Media Freedom and Responsibility today quoted relatives as saying Sy
had drawn attention to drug trafficking in his photo-reporting. The media he
worked for including Sapol News Bulletin, a local newspaper.
Loreto
and Kho, who worked for the Aksyon Ngayon newspaper, were shot in Quezon City,
on the northern island of Luzon, on 30 July by two gunmen who immediately fled.
Philippines
is ranked 140th out of 179 countries in the 2013 Reporters Without Borders
press freedom index.
No comments:
Post a Comment