MANILA — The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) on Thursday requested the Philippine National Police and Task Force Usig to immediately conduct an investigation into the killing of journalist Dennis Denora, who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Panabo Davao City, Davao del Norte.
PTFoMS Executive Director, Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, said a special investigation task group will be formed immediately to lead the local probe on the killing of the Davao Del Norte journalist, stressing that the government will leave no stone unturned in Denora’s case.
“Like in previous cases, whether related to work or not, it is our official policy to initially treat any violent incident involving media workers as “work related,” Egco said in a Facebook post Thursday.
“We will leave no stone unturned to serve the ends of justice. Make no mistake about it,” he added.
Egco said details of the incident are still “sketchy” but he had already requested the PNP and Task Force Usig, which was created to handle killings of media practitioners and members of militant groups, to submit an immediate report on the case of Denora.
The media task force has also expressed its deep sadness and condemned the killing of the newspaper publisher, and vowed to continue to follow-up the newspaper publisher’s case.
Denora, 67, publisher of Trends and Times in Panabo City, was gunned down by motorcycle-riding suspects while on board his vehicle together with his driver in Barangay New Pandan, Panabo City at around 2 p.m. Thursday.
The newspaper publisher was killed instantly while his driver survived the attack and is now recuperating at the Revira Medical Center in Panabo, Davao City. (PNA)