CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY– The Cagayan de Oro Press Club on Wednesday strongly condemned the brutal murder of radio broadcaster Federico Gempesaw.
Gempesaw was killed by two motorcycle riding gunmen in front of his home in Barangay Carmen, this city.
COPc president Frank Mendez has asked City Police Office City Director Police Colonel Aaron Mandia for a thorough investigation to identify the suspects.
“The COPC also called on the National Bureau of Investigation to assist in the investigation, as we fear there will be more killings of members of the press if this crime will not be solve,” Mendez said.
“We also called on the Presidential Taskforce on Media Security (PTFOMS) created by former President Rodrigo Duterte to pay attention to the murder of Gempesaw,” Mendez added.
The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines -Cagayan de Oro chapter also called on authorities for a thorough investigation.
In a statement, the NUJP stated ” We strongly condemns the brutal killing of radio broadcaster Federico Gempesaw on Wednesday morning in front of his home in Barangqy Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City,.”
“The brutal murder of Gempesaw has no place in a democratic society, and we demand that the police leaves no stone unturned and bring the perpetrators, as well as the mastermind to justice,” the NUJP-CDO said.
The murder of Gempesaw in a broad daylight, NUJP-CdO said, has a chilling effect to community journalists and press freedom have been been under attack from both the Government and the disinformation campaign to discredit the media.
Gempesaw is the third radio broadcaster killed in Mindanao this year.
On January 12, 2022, Jaynard Angeles, Station Manager of Radyo Natin, Tacurong City was shot dead in Barangay Carmen, Tacurong City.
On April 24, 2022, Jhannah Villegas was killed in the town of Datu Anggal Midtimbang, in Maguindanao province. Villegas is also a blocktime broadcaster of Radyo Ukay in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato.
PaDayon Pilipino Party also condemned the killing of Gempesaw.
Misamis Oriental second district congressman Yvgeny Vincente Emano has offered P500,000 reward money for those who can pinpoint the perpetrator and the the mastermind.
.Congressman Emano is the Regional Vice Chairman of PaDayon Pilipino, to whom Gempesaw was affiliated for years.-Bobby Lagsa
