MANILA, Philippines- Hiniling ng Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) sa Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) at Task Force Usig na laliman pa ang imbestigasyon kaugnay sa shooting incident nito lamang Hulyo 15, 2024, sa San Pablo City, Laguna kung saan target ang isang local reporter.
Sinabi ni PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez na kinuwestiyon nila ang spot report ni San Pablo City chief of police, PLtCol. Wilhelmino Saldivar Jr., kung saan ibinaba ang insidente sa “threat and malicious mischief.”
Tinukoy ni Gutierrez ang initial reports na natanggap ng task force, sinasabing pitong beses pinaputukan ang biktimang si Marc Angelo Barrios, reporter ng Laguna Patrol, ng dalawang hindi natukoy na motorcycle-riding gunmen na nakatakas.
“And to classify this incident as a simple case of malicious mischief by the local police raises everyone’s eyebrows,” ang sinabi ni Gutierrez sabay sabing. “Fortunately, Barrios was unhurt and only his motorcycle was damaged.”
Sa liham ni Gutierrez kay PBGen. Mathew Bacay, Director, Directorate for Investigation and Detection Management (DIDM), at CIDG chief P/MGen. Leo Francisco, sinabi ni Gutierrez na nabigo ang local police na kilalanin si Barrios bilang miyembro ng mga mamamahayag kundi isang “office staff.”
“As the government’s official mechanism to address all violations on the right to life, liberty, and security of all members of the press, the ‘discrepancies’ we noted from the police report and the actual facts of the case as gathered, deserves deeper investigation and the suspects identified and arrested,” ayon kay Gutierrez.
Idinagdag pa nito na na nakatanggap sila ng impormasyon na ang potensyal na ‘person of interest’ ay anak ng barangay chairperson na dati nang nauugnay sa local illegal drugs trade, na tukoy na subalit hanggang ngayon ay hindi kinukuwestiyon ng kapulisan.
Smantala, base sa spot report ng insidente na isinumite ni Saldivar sa PTFoMS, pauwi na si Barrios sa kanyang bahay sa Barangay San Gregorio sakay ng motorsiklo, pasadong alas-11 ng gabi noong Hulyo 15 nang bigla siyang paulanan ng putok ng dalawang suspek sakay ng ibang motorsiklo malapit sa gate ng isang local subdivision. Kris Jose
