ANGELES CITY – The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) has cited progress in the official investigation being conducted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) behind the death of veteran journalist Jess Malabanan.
PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco said that a month into Malabanan’s death, persons of interests – one of whom was found to have strong connections with local politicians – have been identified.
“We have made significant gains in the probe into the killing of my dear friend and colleague, Jess Malabanan. I commend the investigators for conducting a thorough probe that will definitely lead to the arrest of the perpetrators and the mastermind behind the attack,” Egco said.
Egco made the announcement during a virtual conference on Friday where updates on the case were discussed. The conference was attended by various law enforcement agencies, including officials from Police Regional Office 8 (PRO 8, Special Investigation Task Group (SITG), Task Force Usig and the NBI. Both the PNP and the NBI are members of the Presidential Task Force.
“Now that both the PNP and the NBI are working together to solve this heinous crime, the country is assured that the investigation in this case will be swift, thorough and transparent,” Egco said.
He added: “We will go where the evidence leads us and arrest those responsible whomever or wherever they may be.”
Egco explained that although this case has already been officially declared by PTFoMS as unrelated to Ma;abanan’s work as a journalist, he vowed that the masterminds and their cohorts will be put behind bars, utilizing all available manpower and resources at the government’s disposal.
It can be recalled that the PNP-SITG has recently revealed that the biggest possible motive behind Malabanan’s killing was a dispute over a very large tract of land in Calbayog based on the information culled by investigators from sworn testimonies of various witnesses. The SITG said that Malabanan represented a group of poor farmers who have claims over the property.
Egco thanked the investigators for their “tireless efforts” to probe this media killing. He said that “no violence against media workers will go unpunished under my watch in spite of the present difficulties brought about by the pandemic. We owe it to the Filipino people to solve this case.”
Malabanan, a correspondent for various other news outfits, was shot dead by motorcycle “riding-in-tandem” gunmen inside his small store in Calbayog City last December 8, 2021.
The case conference was attended by the following officers, namely PCol Raymundo P Graveles – OIC, ORIDMD; PCol Peter U Limbauan, Sppo – SITG Commander; PLT Herbert Mendoza, CIDG8 – Asst. Commander; PLT Aileen G Velarde, SPPO – Spokesperson; PCPT Michael Justie T Baldugo, RLO8 – Legal Officer/Member; PLTCol Norman D Ala, SPPO – C, PIDMU/OIC, PIU; PLT Nesmark Dave J Julian, RCLO8 – PO Crime Lab; PMaj Ralph O Bangoy, RIU8 – TL, RIU Samar, RIU8; PCMS Ladislao Z Cabello, SPP – Coordinator/Case Record Officer; PLTCol Teodulfo C Manatad Iii, SPPO – COP Calbayog City; and, PSSG Emelito Y Bernales, SPPO – Investigator.
Also present were PLTCol Al Paglinawan, Head Secretariat of Task Force Usig, and Head Agent Carlo Limyu and Senior Agent Joselito Guellen of the NBI.
Created by President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, PTFoMS is mandated to “oversee, supervise and monitor” the investigation of cases of violence committed against media workers pursuant to Administrative Order No. 1.
For the past 5 years, PTFoMS has been at the forefront in the fight to protect the life, liberty and security of media workers in the Philippines. Far less journalists have been killed ever since PTFoMS’ creation compared to the last two administrations that saw a slew of killings of media workers: 40 victims during the time of the presidency of the late Noynoy Aquino and 82 during President Gloria Arroyo.
In 2021, the PTFoMS recorded the 51st case of media killing that resulted in a guilty verdict, bringing to 68 the total number of suspects convicted by our courts.
