MANILA, Philippines—The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) on Sunday dared the government to quickly solve the killing of Bohol-based radio broadcaster Engr. Maurito Lim who was gunned down by a lone assailant on Saturday morning.
“While we seriously doubt demanding justice will get us, we challenge the government to prove us wrong by acting swiftly to solve the case, arrest the killers and the mastermind who ordered his death,” the NUJP said in a statement.
The NUJP insisted that the 71-year-old Lim’s death could not be derided as “non-work related” as he was strongly hitting local officials allegedly involved in illegal drug trade in the province.
“We beg the indulgence of our hardworking government officials if we preempt them, lest in their concern for the impunity with which journalists have continued to be murdered under their watch, they chalk this one up to another “non-work related” death,” the journalist’s group said.
It noted that the victim’s “colleagues in Bohol have confirmed that, before his death, Lim had been hitting hard at local officials linked to the illegal drug trade.”
The NUJP extended its sympathies to the Lim family and urged the Bohol media community to remain resolute amid the most recent attack on press freedom in the country.
Lim was said to be getting off his vehicle to host his program “Chairman Mao on Board” on radio dyRD when a lone gunman on a motorcycle shot him at about 10:35 a.m., Saturday morning. The bullet reportedly entered his left jaw and exited through his right ear.
The radio anchor was rushed to Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital where he underwent an operation but died at 1:15 p.m.
According to the NUJP, Lim was the second journalist killed in Bohol, 172nd since 1986 and the 31st under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III.
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