Political violence usually spikes during election season in this country. Murder has become the ultimate form of ensuring election victory, with perpetrators confident that they can get away with the permanent elimination of rivals.
Journalists often find themselves caught in the crossfire. The nation’s worst case of election-related violence saw 32 media workers being mowed down together with 26 relatives and supporters of a local candidate in Maguindanao who dared challenge the political stranglehold of the region’s ruling clan.
There is no particular season for murdering journalists in this country, but elections tend to increase the risks, as candidates resent negative reporting or commentary. Police are reportedly looking at this angle in the latest deadly attack, this time against a volunteer reporter of the Pagadian City-based Power 99 FM. Elvis Banggoy Ordaniza was at home in Pitogo, Zamboanga del Sur on Tuesday night when two men barged in and shot him with handguns. Ordaniza died on the way to a hospital.
The attack may not be related to Ordaniza’s work as a journalist. But the only way to find out is to catch the killers – something that has always been problematic for law enforcers. The failure to bring murderers to justice has placed the Philippines among the top five most dangerous countries for journalists.
From 1992 until last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists counts 55 Filipino journalists murdered in attacks confirmed to be work-related. The CPJ counts another 53 murders in which the motives have not been established.
Regardless of the motive, every murder must be solved. Solution means not only apprehending a suspect but securing his conviction and sending him to prison. The state must leave no doubt that in this country, murderers are caught and punished. Ordaniza’s killers must be apprehended and made to pay for their crime.