Court Acquits Alleged Killer of Journalist: NUJP

NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

www.nujp.org

Press Statement

March 10, 2006

A regional trial court in Mindanao acquitted a former police officer accused of killing radio journalist Elpidio "Ely" Binoya in June 2004.

A lower court in General Santos City acquitted Ephraim "Toto" Englis, primary suspect in the June 2004 murder of Binoya.

"It's another sad day for press freedom," said Jose Torres Jr., chairman of the Commission for the Protection of Journalists of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

"We are saddened about the report. We call on the government to prove its resolve to defend press freedom by seriously going after the killers of journalists and pursuing the cases filed against suspects who were arrested," Torres said.

"Instead of monitoring the media, we call on the Philippine National Police to go after the criminals who are out to silence media practitioners in the country," Torres said.

Englis, a former policeman detailed in General Santos City, is incumbent chief of Datal Tampal village in Malungon town in Saranggani province, south of Mindanao.

In a six-page decision, Judge Oscar Noel of Regional Trial Court Branch 35 said the prosecution failed to present strong evidence against Englis.

The decision was based on testimonies of five prosecution witnesses, namely, Mrs. Binoya; SPO3 Pastor Romero; driver Ameril Danial Calamin; vendor Allan Rosaldez; and Roger Malid Pendatun.

The witnesses are currently under the government's protection program.

Binoya, satellite station manager of dzRH Radyo Natin (Our Radio) in Malungon, was riding his motorcycle on the way home from work when two unidentified men shot him in Upper Labay village in General Santos City.

Before his death, Binoya criticized local politicians, including Englis in his radio program.

Binoya's family and colleagues earlier claimed that some influential people were allegedly protecting Englis and Toquero.

Records from the Philippine National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) show that six out of 38 murder cases against mediamen filed in court have been resolved.

International media watchdogs have identified the Philippines as a dangerous country for journalists, second only to Iraq.

Binoya was the second journalist killed in 2004 and the country's 45th media-related casualty since 1986.

Reference:Jose Torres Jr.
Chairman, Commission for the Protection of Journalists
NUJP