Che è come dire: le Filippine sono il posto “normale” più pericoloso del mondo per i giornalisti. L’ultima vittima in ordine cronologico si chiamava Martin Roxas, commentatore radiofonico per il Radio Mindanao Network. Lo hanno freddato giovedì scorso mentre sulla sua motocicletta se ne stava tornando a casa, da una moglie e due figli di tre e un anno. Altro che Iraq. In quel vaso di Pandora allegramente frantumato dalla peggiore politica estera in 230 anni di governi americani, i giornalisti ci vanno dentro i bindlati, con elmetto e giubetto antiproiettile. Le Filippine sono una nazione indipendente, dove dovrebbero esistere dirittti civili, uno non si aspetta di essere fatto fuori perché un politico locale da quattro soldi, democraticamente messo in discussione nel corso di un tuo programma, si incazza e paga dei killer per mettere a tacere una voce scomoda.
E invece Martin è il quarto giornalista ammazzato quest’anno. Nel 2006 erano stati dodici, “solo” tre nel 2007. Non è un bel mondo quello che con violenza si libera frettolosamente di un mestiere che tutti noi dovremmo considerare prezioso e fondamentale: raccontare la realtà che ci circonda.
Radio broadcaster shot and killed in Capiz
Agence France-Presse
A radio broadcaster was shot and killed Thursday in Capiz, just three days after his colleague was critically wounded in a similar attack, their employer said.
Martin Roxas, 32, program director of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), was shot dead just minutes after leaving the station at around noon in central Roxas city.
“He was aboard a motorcycle, and was just 900 meters (3,000 feet) away from the station when a gunman shot him in the back of the neck,” RMN radio station manager Ely Abarra told AFP.
“He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was declared dead on arrival,” Abarra said.
Roxas, who leaves behind a wife and two children aged three and one, had been a radio commentator for over a decade. His program tackles local politics, and police said it was possible he could have been attacked because of his work.
Abarra said there was an apparent attempt on Roxas recently, when he was kicked from his motorcycle. Roxas dismissed the incident, but had been taking precautions.
“This week, his topics touched on an ongoing political squabble involving two politicians,” Abarra said without elaborating.
Meanwhile, colleague Dennis Cuesta remains fighting for his life in hospital after he was shot in General Santos city Monday.
The attacks come more than a month after gunmen shot and killed Bert Sison, a reporter for a community newspaper in Quezon province. Sison’s daughter, who is also a journalist, was wounded in the attack.
Roxas is the fourth journalist to be killed in the Philippines this year.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists and French group Reporters Without Borders have branded the Philippines the second most dangerous place for working journalists outside Iraq.
Three journalists were killed in the Philippines last year, while 12 were killed in 2006.
