Aguirre vows justice for slain publisher

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II on Sunday vowed justice for the family of slain community newspaper publisher Larry Sy Que, the first media worker killed under the Duterte administration.

In a text message to reporters, Aguirre said he had directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the murder of Que, who was gunned down on Dec. 19 in Virac, Catanduanes, by a masked assailant on a motorcycle.

“I would like to give the assurance that justice will be served on the killing of Mr. Larry Que and other victims of media killings,” Aguirre said.

The Philippine National Police had earlier launched an investigation of Que’s death and was updating Malacañang on its findings, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said on Saturday.

“Our position is that as a matter of policy, Task Force on Media Security will treat such case as work-related until final determination,” Medialdea said in a statement, referring to the Presidential task force created by Mr. Duterte in October to look into the attacks on journalists.

The victim’s killing happened barely two weeks after he launched his local newspaper, Catanduanes News Now, and after the publication of his column critical of the local government. He had written about the supposed consent by some officials to set up a “shabu” (methamphetamine hydrochloride) laboratory in the province.

Aguirre said he had also ordered the NBI to determine the real motive in the killing of Que, who lost the Virac mayoral race in the May elections.

Medialdea said the Presidential task force was looking into Que’s background as politician and businessman. Que owned an insurance company.

The task force’s responsibility includes ensuring a safe environment for media workers.

It has also been directed to make an inventory of all cases of violence against members of the media, and to look into unsolved cases. High-profile cases would be given priority.

In January, the International Federation of Journalists said the Philippines was the second most dangerous country for journalists in the past 25 years. It noted that there had been 146 killings of media workers in the Philippines.

Iraq topped the list with 309 killings. —WITH A REPORT FROM LEILA B. SALAVERRIA