MANILA – Malacañang on Friday strongly condemned the killing of radio reporter and anchorman Joey Llana in Daraga, Albay.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the killing of Llana is yet another infringement on the press freedom.
“We strongly condemn the killing of radio reporter Joey Llana in Daraga Albay as yet another infringement on the rights to life and a free press,” Roque said in a press statement.
According to reports, Llana was on his way to the radio station DWZR in Legazpi City when still unidentified gunmen ambushed the broadcaster along Barangay Penafrancia in Daraga town on Friday.
Llana succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds in various parts of his body.
Roque assured that the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) will bring justice to another victim of media killings.
“The PTFOMs will be relentless in according justice to this latest victim,” Roque said.
For his part, PTFoMS Executive Director Joel Egco also condemned ‘in the strongest possible terms’ Llana's killing, vowing to leave no stone unturned to solve the case.
Egco has ordered the creation of a special investigation task group to look into the killing of the Albay reporter.
“This saddens me. This is the reason why it is very important that we should know the protocols on media security," Egco said in a media interview in Baguio City.
The PTFoMS has ongoing training and seminar on media security and the Task Force protocols.
He said the task force has already coordinated with the Provincial Investigation and Detective Management Division in Bicol Region.
Based on PTFoMS protocols, Llana’s case is being initially treated as a case of media killing which falls under Administrative Order No. 1 “until further investigation proves otherwise”. (PNA)
