Philippines: The country’s prison chief is accused of ordering the killing of a prominent radio journalist.
Percival Mabasa (63) was shot while driving to his radio studio in the capital Manila last month. Police in the Philippines allege that Bantag, the head of the prison service, is behind this.
Officials say Mabasa had leveled corruption allegations against Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag, who was also an outspoken critic of former President Rodrigo Duterte. Gerald Buntag is currently suspended from duty. Police have also filed a murder complaint against Deputy Security Officer Ricardo Sulueta. He surrendered in October after security cameras identified him as the gunman, Joel Escorial.
Bantag and Sulueta are accused of ordering the killing of another prison inmate and allegedly instructing the gunman to kill him. Eugene Javier of the National Bureau of Investigation told reporters that Bantag ordered the killing of Mabasa because of his continuous accusations against Bantag on Mabasa’s show.
Bantag, who was appointed by former President Rodrigo Duterte early last month, reportedly told broadcaster DSRH that he had nothing to do with the murder. It will be up to Justice Department prosecutors to decide if there is enough evidence to file a brief in court.
No security
Mabasa, who was known as Persilapid on the radio show, was killed on October 3 last. He is the second journalist to be killed since the current president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., took office. The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines says the incident in Manila shows how callous criminals are and how authorities have failed to protect journalists and ordinary citizens. International watchdog Reporters Without Borders reports that at least 187 journalists have been killed in the Philippines over the past three decades. The Philippines ranks 147th out of 180 countries on their Press Freedom Index.