THIRD RADIO COMMENTATOR KILLED IN PHILIPPINES?

MANILA, Philippines – What a mess. After Storm, typhoon, flooding,  war in the south and now  another commentator for a south Philippines-based radio station was shot and killed on Wednesday morning, a report reaching the capital said.

The killing of 42-year-old Rogelio “Tata” Butalid, of radio station dzDN, was the third involving a radio journalist, in as many weeks and occurred a day after the International Human Rights Day.

Butalid was shot around 9am in Tagum City, the davaotoday.com website reported.

The report said police were conducting an investigation into the killing, which his colleagues said could have something to do with his recent broadcasts concerning rival groups trying to control the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative.

Authorities are also looking at the angle that the killing has something to do with his duties as a village councillor in Mankilam.

Butalid is a block time radio commentator and is not necessarily employed by the station where he has a programme.

• Radio block timers are virtual freelancers. They derive revenue from airtime that they sell to advertisers.
• The recent killings in the Philippines of journalists have mainly targeted block timers who often issue bombastic statements on the radio to draw more listeners to their programme.
• The killing of Butalid follows the December 7 killing of Michael Milo in Surigao del Sur. The 34 year-old Milo was national supervisor of PRIME Radio FM and hosted the public affairs programme “Doc Alternatibo.” Reports said he was riding a motorcycle when he was attacked by gunmen in the village of Mabua.

The killing of Milo followed the assassination carried out against Joas Digno of Radyo Abante. Dignos, 49, was shot and killed in Valencia City in Bukidnon on November 29.  The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said Dignos was relieving himself near the back of his SUV parked on the side of Sayre Highway in Valencia City, Bukidnon, when two motorcycles — each carrying three men — stopped by. Two of the men aboard the motorcycles shot him 22 times in various parts of the body.

Dignos anchored a programme for station dxGT and, like Butalid, was a block timer.

“The killing is very likely a work-related one,” the NUJP Mindanao Safety Office said.

Source: Agency