House Majority Leader and Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez has joined other lawmakers in condemning the shooting death of Manila Standard and Reuters correspondent Jesus “Jess” Malabanan in Calbayog City, Samar last week.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the murder of Manila Standard correspondent Jesus ‘Jess’ Malabanan, who was shot to death in Calbayog City in Samar. I call on the authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice,” Romualdez said on his official Facebook page.
“My condolences to the loved ones of Jess, a long-time stringer of Reuters. May you rest in peace,” he added.
In Catarman, Northern Samar, Partido Reporma presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson and former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar said authorities should focus on crime suppression and prevention as they condemned the murder of the veteran journalist on December 8.
“If you are not able to prevent, at least, i-solve mo iyong hindi mo na-prevent, (solve what you were not able to prevent),” said Lacson, who headed the PNP before becoming a senator, as he visited Catarman on Sunday for Partido Reporma’s “Online Kumustahan.”
“Actually, Jess Malabanan is a friend of mine. I was assigned in Region 3 at kasa-kasama [ko siya noon], at alam ko na pupunta siya sa Calbayog, kaya nakakalungkot na nangyari ‘yon,” added Eleazar, who recently retired as PNP chief.
The PNP’s Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) on the fatal shooting of Malabanan is looking into a land dispute as the motive. PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos, on Monday said they already have a person of interest but are still determining whether Malabanan’s job has something to do with the slay.
“I talked to the Regional Director, Brig. Gen. Rommel Cabagnot, and he updated me that actually, there is an ongoing case conference of SITG Malabanan as we speak. Initially, the angle they are looking at is a land dispute,” he told reporters during a press conference after Monday’s flag ceremony.
Carlos cited information from the victim’s family and colleagues who attested that they are not aware of any death threats that Malabanan received lately.
“This strengthens the possibility that the killing of Malabanan may have been more personal than work-related,” Carlos said. “We are exerting more efforts to establish the motive, identify the perpetrators, and build a strong case leading to a successful prosecution.”
Malabanan was shot dead inside their store in Barangay San Joaquin, Tinambacan District at around 6 p.m. Police reports showed Malabanan was watching television when his family heard gunshots.
Witnesses saw two motorcycle riders, one of whom was the gunman who aimed for the victim’s head. Malabanan was declared dead on arrival at a hospital.