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Filipinos condemn killing of journalist in Philippines

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DUBAI — Dubai-based Filipino journalists have condemned the recent killing of a fellow journalist in the Southern Philippines. They have also expressed concern over the violence against mediapersons in the country that has been continuing for the past six years.

Published: Fri 23 Feb 2007, 9:22 AM

Updated: Sun 5 Apr 2015, 2:35 AM

  • By
  • Criselda E. Diala

International media have reported that Hernani Pastolero Sr, Editor-in-Chief of community newspaper Cotabato Lightning Courier Weekly, was shot dead last Monday by an unidentified gunman at his residence in Sultan Kudarat, Mindanao.

"I feel that 'truth' is not safe in the Philippines in the midst of a culture of death and reprisal," said Jay Hilotin, President of the Filipino Press Club-UAE, an organisation of Filipino mediapersons.

Dindo Amparo, News Bureau Chief of ABS-CBN Middle East, said journalists have been easy targets of violence in the Philippines. "A law that imposes heavy penalties on culprits who have killed mediapersons should be enforced," said Amparo.

Ares Gutierrez, who chaired the Manila-based Philippine National Press Club's Committee to Protect Journalists from 2000 to 2001 and now works with a Dubai media company, said, "Journalists were afraid to write because of the possible repercussions of their articles."



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