DAVAO CITY and Manila—The killing of Davao-based journalist Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy has invoked condemnation from a coalition of the country’s biggest labor groups as well as an order by the police chief for a thorough investigation.
Dinoy, who worked for online news site “Newsline Philippines” and hosted a block-time program at Energy FM station in Digos City, was shot dead in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, last Saturday evening.
The Bansalan police said they could not yet ascertain how many assailants were involved but it said one gunman barged into the apartment of Dinoy at 6 p.m. of October 30 and shot him at close range. Dinoy was also using his apartment room as his news room, according to a police report.
Photographs posted on Facebook shows him sprawled on the floor with the upper part of his body at the bottom of a table. At the wall was a red cloth banner with the word “Newsline” on it.
Dinoy was also a correspondent for the Cebuano paper Sunstar Balita and formerly wrote for the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper until 2020.
Condemnation
THE Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas-Davao City Chapter has condemned the killing.
“This is an attack and affront to the lives of journalists and the freedom of expression guaranteed in the Philippine Constitution,” the statement of the organization of broadcasters read. “We demand speedy and fast police investigation to identify the person/s behind the killing and put the perpetrators behind bars immediately.”
A close associate of Dinoy who requested anonymity when speaking with the BusinessMirror said the victim would criticize politicians in his Facebook posts. But he would not do it during his radio broadcasts, the person said.
In a statement issued last Sunday, Nagkaisa (N1) Chairman Sonny G. Matula called for the immediate investigation on Dinoy’s death.
He said the Justice Department’s Inter-Agency Committee on Extra-Legal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture and Other Grave Violations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of Persons (IAC) should look into the matter.
“The killing of another [media] worker is too many that needs to stop,” Matula said. “N1 joins with other groups in their cry for justice.”
Probe set
ON Hallows Eve, National Police chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar ordered a thorough investigation into the killing of Dinoy.
“We will look into all the possible angles on this case and we are also asking the help of our kababayan (compatriot) to provide us with any information that could lead to the resolution of this case,” Eleazar said while extending his condolences to the victim’s family.
A statement from the Presidential Task Force on Media Security headed by Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco said they are coordinating with the police in Bansalan over the case.
“Even if the motive seems to be a personal matter, the Task Force will see to it that justice will be served to those responsible for Dinoy’s death,” he said.
Egco added that according to Dinoy’s colleague, Edith Caduaya, also the president of the Mindanao Independent Press Council, Dinoy was not a hard-hitting journalist and had no enemy.
However, Caduaya told the presidential task force that the victim had an altercation with someone before the killing.
“Dinoy was also reportedly being urged to run for vice mayor in the locality but was advised not to,” Egco said.
Both Eleazar and Egco urged members of the media to immediately report to the police any forms of harassment, attack and threat.