NUJP condemns shooting of radio station manager
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Wednesday condemned the attempt on the life of Ferdinand 'Bambi' Yngson, RGMA-Bacolod station manager and NUJP member, in Sagay City on Wednesday morning.
"We urge authorities to get to the bottom of this case and speedily prosecute the arrested suspect and, if any, all others who might be involved in the attack on Yngson instead of dismissing it, as Sagay Philippine National Police chief William Senoron initially did, as the offshoot of personal animosity," said Joe Torres, NUJP chairman.
The suspect, Romeo Corgo, is a deputized agent of the Land Transportation Office in Sagay. Yngson's wife said her husband had been commenting on alleged corruption in the LTO before the shooting.
"Again, we urge President Gloria Macaoagal-Arroyo to issue a categorical order to end all attacks on journalists and to get the perpetrators whoever they may be," Torres said in a statement. "Only this will signal that her administration pays more than lip service to press freedom," he added.
Director Geary Barias, commander of the National Police's Task Force USIG, said his office is already preparing charges of frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms against Corgo.
Barias said Corgo is already undergoing investigation at the Sagay City Police Station in Negros Occidental.
Corgo was immediately arrested after he shot Yngson, 46, station manager of RGMA, at the Sagay City Public Market Wednesday morning.
Yngson sustained gunshot wounds from the "sumpak" or improvised shotgun used by Corgo. He is now being treated at a hospital in Bacolod City.
Barias is expected to proceed to Sagay City to personally assess and supervise the investigation, on orders of PNP chief Director General Oscar Calderon. Calderon and other police officials were in Iloilo City when the shooting happened.
Barias, who is concurrently the director for Investigation and Detective Management, said he is not discounting the possibility of personal grudge as motive for the crime, as well as all other angles.
Barias noted that Yngson had been critical of alleged anomalies involving the suspect at the local LTO branch in Bacolod City prior to the shooting.
The TF USIG was created in May last year by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to address killings of militants and journalists in the country, which have spurred since 2001 when she rose to power.
The task force has taken cognizance of 27 cases of journalists' killings since that time, 21 of which have already been filed in court.
GMANews.TV