Journalists in Cagayan de Oro City slam police for alleged indifference

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines—Journalists are decrying what they says is the  police’s lukewarm attitude toward last Thursday’s attempt by unidentified men to Bombo Radyo reporter Michael James Licuanan.

In a joint statement, the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) and the Cagayan de Oro chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), said the police’s indifference was evident in the way the investigation was moving – very slowly.

“Even shortly after the attack on Licuanan, there was no effort to catch the suspects because no checkpoint had been set up by the police,” COPC president Santiago Goking said.

Senior Supt. Gerardo Rosales, in a telephone conference with journalists at the COPC office,  denied this on Saturday by saying they had set up checkpoints in the Kinasanghan, Lumbia, and Puerto areas – the city’s exit points.

But journalists argued that the checkpoints that Rosales referred to were already in existence ven before Licuanan was shot.

The  journalists also said the police  initially sent only one officer to guard Licuanan at his hospital bed amid fears his assassins would be able to trace him.

JB Deveza  of the NUJP’s Mindanao Media Safety Office  said they had to seek the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation in Northern Mindanao and the regional prosecutor’s office for additional security for the broadcaster.

Licuanan, who had undergone a second operation, was in stable condition, according to his physicians.

The police also eventually agreed to deploy two police officers per shift to protect him from further attacks.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo said he has tasked the police’s Criminal Detection and Investigation Group  to handle the investigation into the assault on Licuanan.

Robredo said the investigation may appear to be slow but it would ensure that the real issue was uncovered.

He also refused to give a time frame.

“It may result in arresting the wrong persons because police are pressured to provide results,” Robredo said over a local radio station.

The Inquirer learned that the CIDG has created Task Force Dacoycoy, which to look into the ssues tackled by Licuanan on his radio program, including the recent arrest of suspected drug lord Sammy Yusop.

The NBI said it also has initiated its own investigation of the Licuanan slay attempt.

The local are scheduled to hold a rally here on Monday to pressure the authorities into moving faster on the Licuanan case and other cases of impunity.