MICHAEL MEDINA
Editor-in-chief
OROQUIETA CITY—A radio commentator was dead on the spot after an assassin shot him at close range while on his way to work around 530 a.m, Monday, Feb. 23.
Police identified the victim as Ernesto "Ka Ernie" Rollin, 52, a radio announcer of DxSY-AM based in Ozamiz City.
He also maintains a blocktime program in one of the local stations here during weekends.
Rollin, known for his slogan "Ang Magbalantay sa kaban sa katawhan," was with his live-in partner, Ligaya, when the shooting happened.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) listed him as the eighth journalist killed this year, two months after another broadcaster from Northern Samar was shot last December.
Last Jan. 21, a gunman shot dead Badrodin Abas, anchor for a radio block time program in Cotabato City.
In an interview with Ligaya, she narrated that they were waiting for a bus bound for Ozamiz that morning at the waiting shed near Seaoil gas station in Brgy. Talic when two men riding a motorcycle suddenly arrived and without provocation, shot Rollin three times.
"Abi nako og ang ligid sa motor ang mibuto. Nagpaka-paka man, wala lang pod ko nag-mind. Pagtan-aw nako ni Ernie misarasay na man sa kalsada. Paglili nako dunay miduol nga laki, giwakli ko niya dayon gipusil niya sa ulo si Ernie," she said.
This shot in the head killed Rollin outright.
Ligaya hinted that Rollin's tirades over the radio on certain public figures may have something to do with his shooting.
The local NUJP chapter in Ozamiz, through Jovencio Godoy Jr., condemned the shooting and called on authorities to conduct a no-nonsense investigation and arrest the suspects.
Godoy, in a text message to this paper, said Rollin's death should prod local media to make a howl of protest so that the trend of killing community journalists will be stopped.
“We condemn in the strongest sense the killing of our colleague, radio broadcaster Ernesto "Ka Ernie" Rollin. The brutality that he suffered in the hands of his assailants is not befitting of a civilized way of life,” the statement reads.
“Like other attacks on journalists, the slaying of Ka Ernie has cast more shadow of gloom over press freedom and adds to the continuing mockery of Philippine democracy.”
“Granting that the attackers and/or their mastermind have scores to settle with Ka Ernie, the four gunshots that ended his life clearly are not the appropriate way for this.”
In light of the incident, NUJP-Ozamiz urged authorities to conduct a no-nonsense investigation on Ka Ernie's slay and be steadfast in enforcing the law no matter who the suspects of the crime are.
“We call on our colleagues in local news media practice to maintain, if not improve further, our unity in order to surmount this seemingly incessant threat that undermines a no-nonsense dispatch of our duties as bearers of truthful information that the public ought to know of,” the statement continued.
“We also call on media watchdog groups to help us look over the performance of our law enforcement agencies in solving this case. Let us not be cowed by this act of cowardice lurking under the destructive power of the gun.”
As this developed, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)-Misamis Occidental chair Delia Rosal said: "This will not be the end for broadcast people to do their jobs. Maybe not of the same quality as that of Rollin, pero amo lang paningkamotan gyod nga mapabarog namo ang kaisog aron mahatod ang kasayuran sa inadlaw-adlaw nga panghitabo dinhi sa atong lugar."
For his part, PNP Provincial Director Leonilo Cabug has said in a statement that they are conducting a manhunt operation against the bonnet-wearing suspects who fled towards Ozamiz.
Both Cabug and Gov. Loreto Ocampos has forwarded their joint official statements condemning Rollin's killing and calling it a "big blow and grave offense to press freedom."
"The dynamics of a democratic society hinges in a free flow of information, exchange of ideas, and respect to one's opinion and tolerance to the thoughts of others," both officials said.
Ocampos added that he has ordered the PNP to form a task force and conduct a special investigation on the matter and bring the culprit to the bar of justice with no stones left unturned.
The governor likewise disclosed in his press statement that from his initial meeting with Cabug, four angles were looked into as the possible explanation of the broadcaster's killing.
According to Ocampos, one of the angles involved love triangle, wherein the victim reportedly has a pending case of alleged concubinage after he was known to have a live-in-partner in Oroquieta and another one in Ozamiz.
Another is property dispute, wherein Rollin is making a claim that he has bought and paid a house and lot in Ozamiz and that the owner of the said property is contesting over his claim.
"Ka Ernie is publicly known as a paid political operator actively involved in political character demolition job sponsored by politicians during elections. He has an alleged existing case in Lanao del Norte with former Rep. Cerilo Alipio Badelles," Ocampos said.
"There is also an unvalidated allegation that sometimes he is in company with some notorious drug lords and criminal elements in Ozamiz City," the governor further said.
"As we look into these angles, we call for sobriety and calmness and for justice to take its course. We offer our prayers and deepest condolences to the bereaved family. We assure you that we will attend to this matter with sincerity and commitment," Ocampos concluded.