Palace vows justice for slain broadcaster, human rights activist

Broadcaster and human rights activist Teodoro Escanilla. Photo courtesy of Karapatan Camarines Sur.

Malacañang on Friday vowed justice for the killing of broadcaster and human rights activist Teodoro Escanilla.

Escanilla, 59, was gunned down by still unidentified assailants in his home at Tagdon village, Barcelona town in Sorsogon province last Wednesday.

He is the spokesperson of rights group Karapatan in Sorsogon province and hosts “Pamana ng Lahi” radio program in local radio station DZMS.

“Kinokondena ang pagpaslang kay Teodoro Escanilla. Tutugisin ang mga pinaghihinalang salarin at papanagutin,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a statement.

(We condemn the killing of Teodoro Escanilla. We will hunt down the suspects, and they will be put into trial.)

Escanilla’s wife Eden said that at about 11:45 p.m., she heard her husband talking to someone when another man appeared and shot Escanilla several times.

According to Sorsogon Provincial Police spokesperson Superintendent Nonito Marquez, several bullet shells from M-16 and .45 pistols were found at the scene.

Escanilla’s death followed the fatal shooting of Tagum City-based journalist and Davao del Norte Press and Radio-TV Club president Gregorio Ybañez who died Wednesday morning.

Ybañez was on his way home when he was shot several times by still unidentified assailants. Aries Joseph Hegina/JE