DEVANADERA ORDERS PROTECTION OF WITNESSES IN ILIGAN MEDIA ATTACK
19 October 2007
Acting Justice Secretary Agnes VST Devanadera has ordered Regional State Prosecutor Jaime Umpa, Jr. to immediately secure the victim and witnesses in what appears to be another case of attack on journalists in a shooting incident in Iligan City last October 8, 2007. Devanadera's order comes in the wake of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's directive to vigorously pursue all cases of human rights violation, particularly extra-judicial killings and attacks on journalists.
The victim, hard-hitting broadcast journalist, Jose, “Joe” Pantoja, miraculously survived the attack with three gunshot wounds in the abdomen. According to Iligan City PNP Station 8 Chief Venancio Reuan, Pantoja himself and some witnesses has identified the assailants. The principal suspect was identified to be the subject of Pantoja's stinging commentaries during the last election.
Although the motivation for the shooting incident is yet to be established, Secretary Devanadera emphasized the need to give full protection of the law to those who need it. As Chief Implementer of the Witness Protection Program in the DOJ, Secretary Devanadera said that the witnesses will be immediately evaluated and admitted to the program pending preliminary investigation of the case.
In a related development, Secretary Devanadera addressed the prosecutors of Region 8 in a corporate planning workshop in Ormoc City last week. She underscored the urgent need of proactively addressing the challenges brought about by human rights violations and extra-judicial and media killings. She emphasized that the speedy and objective handling of these cases are essential components in establishing respect for the rule of law in the country.
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