PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos on Thursday ordered a thorough investigation into the killing of Jesus ‘Jess’ Malabanan, 58, a newspaper correspondent inside his house in Calbayog City Samar around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Malabanan is a founding member of the PNP Press Corps who used to cover the PNP and the Armed Forces for the Manila Times in the early 90s before becoming a correspondent of the Manila Standard Today and tabloid Bandera and a stringer for Reuters and ABS-CBN.

A report from the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) said still unidentified gunmen shot the victim while he was watching television inside their ‘sari-sari store’ in Purok 12, Bgy. San Joaquin, Tinambacan District in Calbayog City.

At least two men involved in the attack immediately fled right after shooting Malabanan who died while being taken to a local hospital.

The Pampanga Press Club where Malabanan is a regular member condemned his assassination.

“We call on the Philippine National Police and other authorities to help in the prompt investigation that would lead to the arrest of the perpetrators of this cowardly act in the interest of justice,” the group said.

Malacañang also condemned in the strongest terms the killing of Malabanan.

The Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) also condemned in strongest terms the murder of one of its former members.

“The PRO3 Press Club condemns in the strongest possible terms the cowardly murder of Jess Malabanan who covered Camp Olivas for different publications for more than two decades. We are appealing to the Philippine National Police to bring to justice the person or persons responsible for his untimely demise,” the media group said in a statement.

“Jess is a personal friend of mine. This cowardly killing in the midst of a pandemic is truly unforgivable. We will get to the bottom of this and will stop at nothing in bringing to justice the perpetrators of this despicable crime,” said Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, the executive director of Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS).

It was the latest violent incident to take place in Samar island. Last November 20, two policemen died while four others were wounded in a New People’s Army attack in Gamay, Northern Samar.

Carlos said he has ordered the PRO8 headed by Brigadier Gen. Rommel Bernardo Cabagnot to take all necessary steps including proactive anti-criminality and anti-insurgency patrols to prevent a repetition of those bloody incidents.

As of press time, members of the Calbayog City Police Station are still tracking down the killers who were reportedly last seen fleeing towards the direction of San Isidro, Northern Samar.

The PTFoMS said that based on statements from Malabanan’s friends and colleagues, he had no known enemies and was not a ‘hard-hitting journalist.’ However, he sought police assistance in 2017 amid purported threats on his life due to the nature of his work.

Based in Angeles City, the victim was reportedly planning to stay for good in Samar to focus on his farm business.

The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines has also deplored the killing.

“We, members of the National Union of People’s Journalists in the Philippines – Pampanga Chapter, join our fellow Kapampangan journalists and other media organizations in condemning the senseless killing of Jesus ‘Jess’ Malabanan.”NUJP-Pampanga would also like to extend its sincerest condolences to the bereaved family,” the group said.

CCTV footage seen to help probe

Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) in Eastern Visayas has mobilized a task group to coordinate all actions of regional investigative units regarding the shooting of Malabanan in Calbayog City.

“The PNP is doing its best to immediately identify and arrest the person responsible for Malabanan’s death. I instructed the Regional Director of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) to create a Special Investigation Task Group to expedite the resolution of this case,” said PNP Chief, General Dionardo B. Carlos.

Carlos added the SITG wil be composed of investigating teams from the Regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Forensic Group, Regional Intelligence Unit, and Calbayog City Police Station under the supervision of the Deputy Regional Director for Operations of PRO-8, Colonel Jonathan Cabal.

The Calbayog City Police Station said its initial investigation showed the victim was watching television inside his store when a gunman suddenly attacked and shot him.

Because it was nighttime, witnesses could hardly identify the gunman but they saw him fleeing the crime scene on a motorcycle together with a rider companion.

Checkpoint operations in all possible exit points were immediately conducted to intercept the suspects, said the local police.

The SITG is now obtaining copies of CCTV footage that may help in the ongoing probe.

“We understand the call of the family and different groups to expedite the investigation of the case. These requests will not fall on deaf ears. Establishing the motive of the case can help us in going to the bottom of this. We just need the cooperation of the witnesses,” Gen. Carlos said.

The SITG will coordinate with the family of the victim amid reports that the victim has been receiving threats recently because of his profession or if there are other personal angles that are worth looking into, the Chief PNP said. By ALFRED DALIZON, HECTOR LAWAS & BERNARD GALANG

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon