MANILA -- The Department of the Interior and Local Government-National Police Commission (DILG-Napolocom) Press Club on Tuesday condemned the ambush-slay of a radio commentator based in Zamboanga del Sur.
Carlos Matas of radio station DXBZ-Radyo Bagting, which is based in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, was waylaid and killed last May 12.
DILG-Napolcom Press Club (DNPC) president Joel Operario Amongo, in an interview, said that their group, which is based in Manila, is condemning the killing of Matas, who was riding a motorcycle when four unidentified armed men shot him several times in Barangay Nuburan, Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur.
"Kinokundina namin ang pagpatay sa aming kasamahan sa hanap-buhay na si Carlos Matas na naka-base sa lungsod ng Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur (We are condemning the killing in our ranks, particularly of Carlos Matas, who is based in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur),” Amongo said.
"Ang pagkaka-paslang sa aming kasamahan sa hanap-buhay na si Matas ay tahasan at hayagang paninikil ito sa aming kalayaan na maghahatid ng malayang pamamahayag sa ating mga kababayang uhaw-na-uhaw sa katotohanan, para malaman ang bawat isyung nagaganap sa ating bansa (The killing of Matas, our colleague in the industry, is a blatant and glaring suppression of our right to freedom of expression, to our countrymen, who thirst for truth, to know every issue which is happening in our country),” he added.
"Kaya, nananawagan po kami sa ating bagong talagang PNP (Philippine National Police) Chief Oscar Albayalde, na mas lalo niyang paigtingin ang pagbabantay ng kanyang mga kapulisan sa buong bansa, at huwag na sanang mauulit pa muli ang karumal-dumal na pagpatay, sa isang mamamahayag na si Carlos Matas, na kanya lamang tinutupad ang kanyang sinumpaang tungkulin bilang mamamahayag (Hence, we are calling on our newly-appointed PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde to intensify even more the monitoring of his policemen nationwide so that the murder of journalist Carlos Matas, who was just performing his sworn duty as a mediaman, may not happen again),” Amongo said. (PNA)
