Philippines : Journalist and environmental rights defender killed
Event- Country
- Philippines
- Initial Date
- Jan 28, 2011
- Event Description
On 24 January 2011, Mr. Mr. Gerardo Ortega journalist and environmental rights defender in Palawan Island was Ortega was shot dead inside a clothing store, along the national highway in Puerto Princesa City after his daily morning radio broadcast. On January 26, 2011, the police filed murder charges against the suspect Romeo Seratubias, former administrator in the southwestern Palawan province, who allegedly owned the gun used by another suspect, Mr. Marlon Ricamata, who was apprehended at the scene by the police on January 24, and who confessed that he had been hired to silence the broadcaster for a fee of 150,000 pesos. At least three other men were also charged in the shooting of Mr. Ortega. Among them, Mr. Dennis Aranas alleged lookout during the attack, Mr. Noel Armando - the alleged contact between Messrs. Ricamata and Aranas, and Mr. Jun-Jun Bumar - who allegedly gave Ricamata 10.000 pesos as initial payment and 15,000 pesos for operational funds. Mr. Ortega was reportedly receiving death threats from an unknown source through text messages, since his radio program started to air in 2009. He had been moving around with a bodyguard since then. Mr. Ortega was the program manager of the Philippine Ecotourism Palawan of the ABS-CBN Foundation and a staunch critic of the current provincial administration and activities of mining companies in Palawan, often speaking out against corruption in his 6 am to 9am Program on Palawan's DWAR radio station. Ultimately, Mr. Ortega supported a law center petition filed before the Supreme Court on behalf of residents of the province to declare as unconstitutional a litigious sharing agreement between the provincial government and the national government over the proceeds of the USD 10-billion Malampaya natural gas project off the coast of the province.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Death
- Source
World Organisation Against Tortureinterventions/philippines/2011/01/d21059/)
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 9.9672
Longitude: 118.7855
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
On 24 January 2011, Mr. Mr. Gerardo Ortega journalist and environmental rights defender in Palawan Island was Ortega was shot dead inside a clothing store, along the national highway in Puerto Princesa City after his daily morning radio broadcast. On January 26, 2011, the police filed murder charges against the suspect Romeo Seratubias, former administrator in the southwestern Palawan province, who allegedly owned the gun used by another suspect, Mr. Marlon Ricamata, who was apprehended at the scene by the police on January 24, and who confessed that he had been hired to silence the broadcaster for a fee of 150,000 pesos. At least three other men were also charged in the shooting of Mr. Ortega. Among them, Mr. Dennis Aranas alleged lookout during the attack, Mr. Noel Armando - the alleged contact between Messrs. Ricamata and Aranas, and Mr. Jun-Jun Bumar - who allegedly gave Ricamata 10.000 pesos as initial payment and 15,000 pesos for operational funds. Mr. Ortega was reportedly receiving death threats from an unknown source through text messages, since his radio program started to air in 2009. He had been moving around with a bodyguard since then. Mr. Ortega was the program manager of the Philippine Ecotourism Palawan of the ABS-CBN Foundation and a staunch critic of the current provincial administration and activities of mining companies in Palawan, often speaking out against corruption in his 6 am to 9am Program on Palawan's DWAR radio station. Ultimately, Mr. Ortega supported a law center petition filed before the Supreme Court on behalf of residents of the province to declare as unconstitutional a litigious sharing agreement between the provincial government and the national government over the proceeds of the USD 10-billion Malampaya natural gas project off the coast of the province.