Palawan bishop slams Aquino for downplaying media killings in PH

Puerto Princesa bishop Pedro Arigo. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—“Very irresponsible.”

That was how Puerto Princesa bishop Pedro Arigo described the remark of President Benigno Aquino III stating that not all “media killings” in the country are job related.

“That statement is really very irresponsible. It’s like adding a salt on the top injury, particularly to the family of the victims,” Arigo said over Radio Veritas on Monday.

Arigo added that Aquino is only fabricating “alibis” and “more excuses” on the supposed failure of his administration in solving “media killings”.

In a forum organized by Egmont Institute in Belgium last September 16, Aquino said that not all “media killings” are job-related.

“For instance, in the media killings, some who used to work in media died. Did they die because they were investigative journalists? Were they exercising their profession in a responsible manner, living up to journalistic ethics? Or did they perish because of other reasons?” Aquino said.

During the forum, Aquino admitted that justice is slow in the country and his administration is said to be “trying its best” to resolve human rights violations.

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