Media groups have expressed outrage over the murder of Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy, a volunteer journalist and presenter who was shot six times at close range by gunmen who broke into his apartment in the town of Bansalan , Davao del Sur, Saturday.

Dinoy was a reporter for the Davao City-based online media Newsline Philippines and a volunteer presenter for Energy FM in Digos City. He was a correspondent for The Inquirer from 2011 to 2020, and for SunStar Davao.

Philippine National Police Chief General Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday called on Davao Area Police Director Brigadier General Filmore Escobal to investigate the murder.

“We will look at all possible angles on this case and we also ask for the help of our ‘kababayan’ (compatriots) to provide us with any information that could lead to the resolution of this case,” Eleazar said.

According to the victim’s colleague, Ronnie Jhun Otero of Eagle 25 radio station, Dinoy was preparing dinner around 6 p.m. when unidentified gunmen entered his apartment on Mother Ignacia Street and shot him.

Otero, who rushed to the scene upon learning of the shooting, said the apartment also served as the victim’s makeshift broadcast studio.

Police Major Glenn Ipong, Bansalan City Police Chief, said Dinoy died of six gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.

Witnesses appear

A witness said he saw a man come out of Dinoy’s room but the door prevented him from seeing the suspect better. Another witness told police she heard gunshots and saw a man of average build wearing shorts, a shirt and a black cap near the victim’s bedroom as another man on a motorcycle was waiting outside.

Crime scene officers found six empty rounds of rounds, one shot and one warped bullet at the site, police said.

Authorities took Dinoy’s body to Centeno Medical Specialist Hospital where Dr Earl Felix Vicente confirmed his death. The body was then taken to a funeral home in Barangay Poblacion Uno, in the town of Bansalan.

“We, members and officers of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Davao City Chapter, condemn the barbaric murder of our colleague Orlando” Dondon “Dinoy inside his residence”, Roy Geonzon, president of KBP Davao del Sur and Davao Western chapters, said in a statement.

“This is an attack and an affront to the lives of journalists and to the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Philippine constitution,” he said. “We demand a swift and swift police investigation to identify the person (s) behind the murder and immediately put the perpetrators behind bars. “

“We call on the authorities to conduct a swift investigation into the case so that the motive and perpetrators of the attack are brought to justice,” said Benida Ramos, owner of Energy FM 91.1, where Dinoy also worked as a presenter.

Edith Caduaya of Newsline Philippines condemned the murder and vowed never to stop until justice is served.

“We call on the authorities to conduct a fair and swift investigation,” said another statement from Notre Dame Broadcasting Corp. (dxND) in the province of Cotabato, where Dinoy was a freelance writer for a decade. “Our deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We encourage everyone to join us as we pray for their soul’s eternal rest. “

The College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) and its official publication, The National Guilder, also issued a statement condemning the murder and called for “enhanced, consistent and functional security mechanisms for media professionals in the country.”

Media protection

According to the CEGP, the government should guarantee and guarantee a peaceful environment for journalists and media professionals, because cases like Dinoy’s “sow fear among young journalists and prevent them from continuing their usual lives …”.

The PNP chief, meanwhile, assured members of the media of the police’s protection by urging them to report immediately if they were threatened or harassed.

Eleazar said the PNP will coordinate closely with the Presidential Media Safety Working Group on Dinoy’s murder and other cases involving the murder or harassment of media workers.

He stressed that violence of any kind directed against the media was unacceptable in a democratic country and an affront to the freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution.

Dinoy was the 21st journalist to be killed under the Duterte administration based on information from the Inquirer and data from the National Union of Philippine Journalists and the Center for Media Freedom and Accountability (CMFR).

Other media professionals murdered from July 2016 to October this year were Apolinario Suan Jr., Larry Que, Mario Cantaoi, Marlon Muyco, Joaquin Briones, Rudy Alicaway, Leodoro Diaz, Christopher Lozada, Edmund Sestoso, Carlos Matas, Dennis Denora, Joey Llana, Gabby Alboro, Eduardo Dizon, Dindo Generoso, Cornelio Pepino, Jobert Bercasio, Virgilio Maganes, Ronnie Villamor and Renante Cortes.

A radio block timekeeper, Cortes was shot and killed on July 22 of this year outside dyRB radio station in Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City.

Local radio commentator and journalist Maganes and freelance journalist Villamor were killed within days of each other in November 2020. Maganes was shot dead on November 10 by motorcyclists in Pangasinan while four days later Villamor was shot dead by soldiers in Masbate during an encounter. “

As of April 30, CMFR had recorded at least 223 attacks and threats against journalists across the country over the past four years. Of these, 19 were murders while others involved various forms of harassment, including intimidation, threat of defamation, physical assault, arrest or ban on coverage.

— WITH THE REPORTS OF JEANNETTE I. ANDRADE AND THE RESEARCH INVESTIGATOR

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