Iloilo press urges PNP to break through broadcaster's murder in Bacolod

Iloilo press urges PNP to break through broadcaster's murder in Bacolod

By SAMMY JULIAN and JEZZA NEPUMUCENO

ILOILO City – Iloilo Press Club (IPC) President Rommel Ynion urged the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate thoroughly the assassination of hard-hitting radio commentator Niel “Lito” Jimena.

The two motorcycle-riding suspects remain unidentified as of press time.

A half a million pesos reward from IPC awaits anyone who could give information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators and/or mastermind/s, Ynion said.

 Five shells from a caliber .45 were found by police investigators at the crime scene. Forty-two-year-old Jimena was shot late afternoon on Monday in the poblacion of E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.

The way Jimena was shot showed that the killers were hired assassins, said Ynion.

On his way to Brgy. Alicante, EB Magalona from Iloilo City around 5:30 p.m., Jimena was driving his motorcycle alone when one of the two motorcycle-riding men from behind fired at him.

Ynion, former section editor of The Philippine Star, told Panay News that it is his moral obligation to give justice to Jimena “because he was part of the media organization.”

 “This is another blow to press freedom. Many of our brethren have been killed and the victims and their families have not seen justice,” he said.

 Jimena had worked under the press office of former Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez Sr., especially during the previous elections.

He was also identified with retired Police Chief Insp. Musa Amiong who was always his companion.

Negros police investigators believe that Jimena’s murder was job-related.

Jimena had recently intimated to friends that he had been receiving death threats.

 A week before he was killed, Jimena told DyOW Bombo Radyo Bacolod in an interview that he may have gotten the ire of a politician in Iloilo due to his hard-hitting commentaries over RMN DyRI denouncing graft and corruption in government.

HARD-HITTING

Jimena was known for his signature stinging – and sometimes “below-the-belt” – commentaries in his radio block-time programs.

“His style of commentary is not enough reason to kill a media practitioner. His life is precious and nobody has the right to take it away from him except God who owns our life. We have many laws on libel and those who feel aggrieved can go to court and let the law punish the offenders,” Ynion said.

Lito was a native of San Rafael, Iloilo. Married with two daughters, he had been residing in Brgy. San Isidro, La Paz, Iloilo City.

His wife is in Singapore working as a domestic helper.

Jimena often visited his modest poultry business in Brgy. Alicante, EB Magalona, Negros Occidental.

Last month, Jimena filed a complaint against Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog before the Ombudsman. He accused Mabilog of illegally reclaiming a 300-square meter area from the Iloilo River and even destroying mangrove growth to make way for the expansion of his residential property in Molo district.

In a two-page complaint-affidavit, Jimena said Mabilog “illegally land-grabbed” the property and appropriated it for his personal use without obtaining a permit from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

More than that, the property falls under the three-meter easement from the bank of the river which could not be used by private individuals, he alleged.

In his complaint, Jimena said he had personal knowledge about the illegal reclamation because Mabilog had contracted him to deliver the earth backfilling materials for the area.

A total of 300 square meters of the river’s bank was backfilled and appended to Mabilog’s residential property, Jimena said.

“Mabilog paid me P78,000 for the soil that I delivered and dumped on the area,” he said.

 Mabilog has denied Jimena’s allegation.

                                                     

Stop culture of impunity

WE, in the Iloilo media, condemn in the strongest possible terms the brutal murder of a colleague in the profession – radio commentator and Iloilo Press Club member Neil Lito Jimena in EB Magalona, Negros Occidental.

Jimena was killed in cold blood by assassins who mercilessly shot him three times in the body and twice in the head. This is clearly the handiwork of hired hit men, professional assassins working against the interest of press freedom.

Even as we deeply mourn the loss of a fallen colleague and express our condolences to his bereaved family, we strongly urge the Philippine National Police and all other law enforcement authorities to look deeply into the circumstances behind Jimena’s slay so that the perpetrators can be quickly identified and brought before the bar of justice.

We urge those who may have valuable knowledge or information regarding this case to come forward so that the truth behind the dastardly deed can see the light of day. For this reason, the Iloilo Press Club is offering a P500,000 reward for any information that will lead to the arrest of Jimena’s killers and their masterminds.

We pray not only for Jimena but all other members of media in this country who have been victims to similar fate. We urge the national government to finally put an end to the culture of impunity that continues to haunt members of the country’s fourth estate.

To our colleagues in the fourth estate, as we seek to uphold the sanctity of press freedom in a democratic society, let us all remain vigilant and keep constantly in mind that those who speak in the language of guns and violence have no place in our community.

 (SGD.) ROMMEL S. YNION
President, Iloilo Press Club