Department of Justice Sec. Leila de Lima. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Justice Secretary Leila De Lima admitted that the recent spate of media killings is alarming, that is why she already ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to look into the matter.
“Certainly, the recent spate of media killing is a cause for concern as it is alarming,” De Lima said Thursday in a text message to reporters.
“These recent media killings are initially being investigated by the NBI for eventual referral to Special Investigation Teams (SITs),” she added.
She added that the investigative arms of government, namely Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation are automatically investigating the killings and complemented by the AO 35 structures/mechanisms, such as the SITs and Special Oversight Teams (SOTs).
The AO created the SITs last year which seeks to create a special body that will investigate extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and other grave violations of a person’s right to liberty and security.
The SITs are composite teams consisting of prosecutors and investigators from the NBI and the Philippine National Police, De Lima said.
Recently, three members of the media were killed, Rogelio “Tata” Butalid of Radyo Natin in Tagum City in Davao del Norte, dxGT blocktimer Joas Dignos and Michael Diaz Milo, host of a daily radio show and program director of DXFM. They were all killed in the span of only two weeks.
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