Dead newsmen tell no tales

By Mar S. Arguelles LEGAZPI CITY --- The killing of broadcaster Joey Llana on Friday last week brings to five media personalities killed in Albay for the past two decades. These include: John Villanueva radio anchor of DZGB, Claire Domingo a military radio anchor, Jose Loreno of DZRC, and Ruel Endrinal of DWRL. Aside from the murder of these persons in the news profession, reports of harassment against media personalities also persist as in the case of Hermogenes Alegre Jr., station manager of Zagitsit FM radio station, when a grenade was thrown and exploded under his service van parked near his home. Another case of harassment was reported where Carlos Sassis. an anchor person of Zagitsit FM, while parking his car in front of the radio station was fired at by an unidentified suspect armed with .45 caliber handgun. Police records indicate that all of these cases were unsolved, filed as “cold” cases. In Camarines Sur, a media killings that remained unsolved include that of Ronaldo “Anjo” Julia of DZGE Naga City who was shot dead in 2008; Miguel Belen of DWEB Iriga City killed in 2010; and Romeo Olea of DWEB killed in 2011. Records said all victims were killed by still unidentified gunmen. In the island province of Masbate, police records show the unsolved killings of radio anchormen Nelson Nader and Joaquin “Jun” Briones. In Catanduanes, another island province in Bicol, the case of newspaperman Larry Que is still being investigated.