MAGSINGAL, Ilocos Sur
– An environmental groups urged President Duterte to investigate the killing of
a university professor and former radio reporter was gunned down by
unidentified motorcycle-riding men here night of Jan. 6 even as police said
they were eying grudge and lover affair as motives in the attack.
Police are still
trying to identify motorcycle-riding gunmen who shot dead Mario Contaoi of the
University of Northern Philippines and former reporter of the
Church-owned dzNS radio station in Vigan City.
Chief Insp. Arcadio
Viloria, Magsingal police chief, said Contaoi had just arrived at Verano’s
Videoke Bar after visiting a fishpond when he was shot at around 10:30 p.m.
Contaoi died while
being treated at the North Side Hospital in Bantay town.
Viloria said the
victim was an active church lay worker and is not on the drug watchlist.
Investigators are
eyeing a personal grudge and love angle as the possible motives for the attack.
Sen. Grace Poe
condemned the killing and called for an investigation into the incident.
“I am calling on the
Philippine National Police and National Bureau of Investigation to get to the
bottom of the killing of Mario Contaoi, a radio announcer and professor of 25
years at the University of Northern Philippines,” Poe, chair of the Senate
committee on public information and mass media, said in a statement.
“Let us give justice
to our partners in the media who report the truth,” she added.
This, as an
environmental group condemned the murder of Contaoi whom they called an
environmental advocate.
“We grieve with his
family, friends and colleagues. We are appalled that despite the promise of
change by this administration, murder with impunity remains to be a trend.
While the assailant’s motive(s) remains unclear, the authorities must not
discount his previous stint as radio commentator and his sharp commentaries on
environmental issues as possible reasons for his murder,” said the Ilocos
Network for the Environment also known as Defend Ilocos.
“During his stint as
announcer of DZNS Radyo Totoo Vigan City,
Contaoi tackled burning issues regarding the environment. His program
regularly echoed our statements and analysis regarding ecological concerns and
the involvement of local officials for the destruction of the environment. He
is fast and sharp voicing his disapproval, sometimes even naming of authorities,
for their failure to curb and address transgressions committed against nature.”
“The last time that
Mr. Contaoi invited us to speak in June 2016, he asked straight forward
questions pertaining to the eucalyptus plantation in Sta. Cruz and mining in
Quirino respectively. Probing deeper, he asked about the relationship between
the heavy military deployment in the area and the possible involvement of local
officials on the said issues. While he kept his objectivity on the matter, we
believed that like us, he was convinced that militarization and destructive
projects always come hand-in-hand, with the approval of local officials,” said
the group’s regional coordinator Sherwin De Vera,
“With his death,
DEFEND Ilocos and the people lost another ally against the plunderers of
natural resources. But we will not be cowed nor silenced. We demand swift
justice to the murder of Mr. Cantaoi. We call on the Duterte administration to
put an end to these senseless killings.” De Vera added.
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