Unified media marks the secondth year of the brutal killing of Iligan mediaman

Iligan City, August 29, 2015 - At around 10:30 in the evening on August 29 was the secondth yearof the brutal killing of Broadcaster Fernando "Nanding" Solijon, in Barangay Buru-un, Iligan City. He was popularly known as Nanding Solijon in his radio program "Sandiganan" at DXLS FM Love Radio, Iligan City. One of the suspects identified as "Wawang" was gundown on August 30, a day after the killing of Solijon in the newly constructed c-3 road Pala-o, IIigan City. According to reports it was Alleged that the killer of Nanding had a semblance of Wawang's killer. According to witnesses, the killer and Wawang ride a motorcycle and park in the crime scene and confronted each other. It was heard that Wawang complained to his killer "nganong imo man kong patyon kauban man ta" it means, why should you kill me, we are buddy. Then a single gunfire rang and hit Wawang in the head and died. the mysterious killing of Wawang dig deep six feet below the ground because the poor family was in fear to file a complaint in court against the killer.

The media workers in Iligan city together with the Solijon family visited Nanding’s tomb in the morning and at 4:30 in the afternoon, a media walk in the major streets in Iligan City was conducted going to the city public plaza and freedom park. Before the prayer rally started, the event was broadcast live at the DXLS FM Love Radio, Iligan City with a descriptive report by Jun Enriquez in radio program entitled “Kalinaw ug Demokrasya” anchored by Jun Tenorio and Arman Apolinario. At around 5:30 P.M., the prayer rally started until 7:00 O’clock in the evening and the event ended successfully.

The killing of Nanding Solijon was a case of murder filed in court by Mely the wife of Nanding Solijon with two stand witnesses pinpointing PO1 Peejay Capampangan as the triggerman, happened to be the close-in bodyguard of Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia. It may recalled that some other witnesses near the crime scene said that before the killing happened, there were two unidentified men at earlier time in the evening eating sardines bought from a nearby sari-sari store. Nanding visited the area in Buru-un to have a dinner meeting with his reporters in a nearby small restaurant. At around 10:30 in evening of August 29, 2013, Nanding with his companions decided to go home and he went out first to get his car park at the opposite side of the road. Before he reached to his car exactly at the middle of the road Nanding was shoot to death by the two unidentified assassins, one was the triggerman and the other was a lookout. The triggerman armed with caliber .45 pump eight bullets in the head and chest of Nanding that caused his untimely death. Few months prior to the incident, Nanding in his radio program had a hard hit commentary against Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia of the unsolved series of extra judicial killings in Iligan City and alleged corruption. Nanding received plenty of death threats even on air during his program from public reaction through telephone. Lone congressional district congressman Vicente “Varf” Belmonte, Jr., offered a reward of PhP300,000 to any persons who can provide and pinpoint the killers of Nanding Solijon as well as the mastermind. Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia, also offered a reward of PhP200,000, during the media fellowship in September 2013, as part of the fiesta activities of Iligan City.

Mely Solijon said the Court Judge issued a warrant of arrest for PO1 Capampangan sometime in September 2014 and in October 2014 the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM), Region 10, Cagayan de Oro City, terminated PO1 Capampangan from the police service based on the her complaint. At one time in previous months, Mely Solijon said she met a woman in a supermarket in Iligan City which she never knew and told her “please drop your case against Peejay Capampangan because he was no longer living in normal life he was hiding before the law”. However, Mely told the woman that she will not drop the case. Mely said to the woman Peejay should present himself in court and argue the accusation against him. Mely added to the woman that she was the most pity one because Nanding will no longer in her side forever. Information gathered that PO1 Capampangan was seen in Oroquieta City riding a private car and transferring from one car to the other. Until today PO1 Peejay Capampangan is now a fugitive by law evading arrest.

The Unified Media Association (UMA) of Iligan City still dreaming the real justice for Nanding. The UMA is calling the sincerity of the government to disband private armies and crack down the proliferation of loose firearms to stop media killing and other forms of killings and criminalities to end the culture of impunity. Most of the root causes of the media killings are the presence of corruption and the absence of transparency in governance, and the greed of power. Media is the mouthpiece of democracy and recognized as the fourth state as guaranteed in the constitution under the Bill of Rights, the Freedom of the press and of expression deserve protection from the government. The killing of Nanding Solijon in Iligan  City will not stop the duty of the fourth state to inform, educate and entertain the public, in order for the latter to decide its future for good.

In addition, the UMA passed a resolution for the full protection of the media in Iligan City and expressed CONDEMNATION to the brutal killing of DXOC Ozamiz Broadcaster Cosme Maestrado. The Maestrado killing was happened on August 27 at around 9:00 O’clock in the morning in a commercial center in Ozamiz City by the lone gunman. Maestrado was with him a bodyguard and his cameraman bought something in a nearby shopping center. Few days prior to the shooting incident, Maestrado in his radio program simulcast with the cable TV entitled “Ratsada” bombarded a certain Mayor in one of the municipalities of Misamis Occidental on issues of corruption and alleged overpricing of government projects.

Ryan Rosauro, journalist and member of the National Directorate of the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP), in a statement said he condemned the brutal killing of Maestrado. Rosauro said that the killing of Maestrado was possibly work related. Rosauro said that there were also issues which are personal in nature in his media practice, but these are not justifications to kill him. Most of the bullets penetrated on the head and chest of Maestrado caused his untimely death. Rosauro said that plenty of media practitioners were being harassed in Ozamiz City especially during elections. He said there was a politician poked a gun to a certain mediaman in 2013 elections. Maestrado was the third mediaman killed in Ozamiz City and until today the previous media killings still looking for justice. Rosauro is calling the police authorities in Ozamiz City to intensify investigation on Maestrado killing and identify the culprits especially the mastermind must be brought to the bar of justice.  

The UMA calling the attention of President Benigno Aquino III for a speedy resolution for the killing of mediaman Cosme Maestrado. Killing the media is not a solution to corruption. It is in the saying “kill the message not the messenger”, it means to kill the message is to stop corruption and let the fourth state, the messenger and media, continue to do its job for the good and transparent governance and the government must best served the people.