KINONDENA ni Senador Leila de Lima ang pagpatay kay radio anchor Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy sa loob ng kanyang tahanan sa Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Kasabay nito, muling iginiit ni de Lima ang pagpasa sa Senate Bill No. 1523 o ang proposed Journalist Protection Act of 2020.

“As we commemorate International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, we join the media community in condemning the brutal killing of radio anchor Orlando ‘Dondon’ Dinoy,” saad ng senadora.

“Another member of the media brutally slain. Another call for a prompt and impartial investigation. Another prayer, hoping that it will be the last of the killings. But it will never stop as long as impunity remains to be a state policy,” dagdag nito.

Sa tala ng National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), si Dinoy ang ika-21 mamamahayag na pinatay simula noong 2016.

Iginiit ni de Lima na napapanahon nang bumalangkas ng batas para proteksyunan ang media practitioners na sumusuong sa panganib para makapagbigay sa publiko ng napapanahon at mahahalagang balita.

“Our fight against human rights violations entails that we continue to push, vigilantly, for laws that will strengthen safety and security measures for those who are risking their lives to serve as critical voices of the people amid an environment of pervasive impunity,” diin nito.

Alinsunod sa panukala, mandato ng media entities na magbigay ng insurance coverage at hazard pay sa mga journalist at iba pang media persons na nasa field assignments, kabilang na ang mga itinatalaga sa coverage ng disease-infected areas at disaster-stricken zones.

Kaugnay nito, kinondena rin ng European Union Delegation sa Maynila ang pagpatay kay Dinoy.

Sa isang kalatas, pinuri naman ng delegasyon ang mabilis na aksyon ng gobyerno upang matiyak na mapananagot ang mga responsable sa pagkamatay ng nasabing reporter.

“Free media is at the heart of democracy. We condemn the killing of journalist Orlando Dinoy and commend (the) government’s prompt action to bring justice. EU stands by & protects journalists,” ayon sa kalatas.

Sinabi naman ng Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) na kasalukuyan nang iniimbestigahan ng mga awtoridad ang naturang insidente.

Sinabi ni Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, PTFoMS Executive Director, na kaagad na pinakilos ng task force ang mga ahente nito sa pamamagitan nina Atty. Perry Solis at investigation head Col. Rechie Duldulao, nang maiulat sa kanila ang nabanggit na kaso.

“Regardless of the motive, we will work doubly hard to get the killer of Dondon Dinoy, a member of the Mindanao Independent Press Council that’s an active partner of PTFoMS,” ayon kay Egco.

“Rest assured, whether official or personal in nature, we will leave no stone unturned in punishing her killer. Dondon is a member of the LGBT community and was not hard-hitting. In fact, he had no known enemies,” dagdag na pahayag nito. (DANG SAMSON-GARCIA/CHRISTIAN DALE)