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Tag: Gerry Ortega

Aquino insults murdered journalists

President Aquino  arrives at  Egmont Institute , Brussels.
President Aquino arrives at Egmont Institute , Brussels.
Marlene Esperat, Gerry Ortega , Nilo Baculio, Romy Olea must be turning over in their graves now with President Aquino’s latest insult against murdered journalists just to defend his administration’s dismal record in putting a stop to the killing of journalists in the Philippines.

In Brussels last Tuesday, Aquino was asked about human rights violations in the country. In defending his administration, he cited as an example the killing of journalists that has earned for the Philippines the ignominious reputation of the third most dangerous place for journalists, next only to strife-torn Syria and Iraq.

“For instance, in the media killings, some who used to work in media died. Did they die because they were investigative journalists? Were they exercising their profession in a responsible manner, living up to journalistic ethics? Or did they perish because of other reasons?” Aquino said.

This is another example of Aquino’s warped thinking.

A Double Standard of Justice: The Gerry Ortega case

By Inday Espina-Varona

http://indayvarona.wordpress.com/2012/03/30/a-double-standard-of-justice/
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/blogs/insights/03/30/12/double-standard-justice-gerry-ortega-case

A call for Justice
Executive Secretary Jojo Ochoa issued a call today, on the eve of Earth Day, to care more for Mother Nature. Meanwhile, Malacanang spits on the soul of a fallen environmental warrior. Here’s why:

A couple of months back, the nation was glued to the spectacle of government operatives barring former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from leaving the country. The incident happened in the absence of any hold order on the much-maligned former Chief Executive. There was no hold order because no court had yet issued an arrest warrant for her. In fact, no case against Mrs. Arroyo had even reached the courts yet. What the government had was a watchlist order (WLO) on President Benigno Aquino’s predecessor. This watchlist order was the subject of a Supreme Court temporary restraining order (TRO) — a TRO that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima refused to implement.

I will not discuss the merits of the TRO or the WLO — the latter the same weapon Mrs. Arroyo had wielded against her political opposition. The TRO later became part of the Aquino administration’s impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Mrs. Arroyo has since been arraigned and remains in hospital arrest due to an ailment affecting the spine. The Chief Justice is still battling it out in his impeachment trial.

Harry Roque links COA report to Ortega murder

Photo from ABS-CBN online
I did not have the privilege of knowing Dr Gerry Ortega but I join all those who condemn his murder Monday.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has added Ortega’s name to the long list of journalists of have been killed in a country that prides itself as a democracy but at the same is one of the most dangerous working place for journalists.

Ortega was a veterinarian and environmentalist who was also a radio commentator. He was shot at close range while he was shopping in an ukay-ukay store. The gunman, Marlon Dicamata, has been apprehended.

Police has traced the gun used in the killing of Ortega to former Provincial Administrator Romeo Seratubias, who reports said claimed to have sold the gun to someone else.