Andanar: Task Force to review past cases of media killings

The Maguindanao Massacre crime scene (Photo by Dann Pantoja)

MANILA—Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Martin Andanar said on Sunday the Task Force on Media Killings will recommend to President Rodrigo R. Duterte that past cases should be reviewed.

“You know what they say, justice denied is certainly injustice,” he said, adding that “it’s about time, I believe the current Secretary of Justice would also agree, that we should hasten all of the past cases and give justice to those families who have been victimized by the overdue process.”

In an interview over DZRB Radyo ng Bayan, Andanar said, “Right now, we have a 20/20 hindsight of what happened in the previous years. But what is most important is that we get through this task force against media killings, and once we have this signed, and we have been tasked by the President through an administrative order, then it’s a very positive direction for us to be able to investigate, to be able to seek justice for those who have been victims of extrajudicial media killings.”

On the illegal drugs issue, Andanar said “the alleged drug lord Peter Lim has come out in the open. He cleared his name and he has expressed his intention to the President that he will do just that. Now, the burden is on Peter Lim, and we do encourage the rest of the suspects to do the same.”

The PCO Chief stressed that “as far as I can remember in history, I have not seen a President who has been so brave in announcing to the public the people who have been or allegedly are behind this menace of drugs.”

He said “the President has even named the Level 5 drug lords or alleged drug lords who are the highest that you can get in the hierarchy of those who are selling, pushing, or peddling illegal drugs.”

Regarding the draft Executive Order on Freedom of Information (FOI), he said it has been finalized and the President is expected to sign it this week.

Andanar said there are non-contentious issues on the FOI. “As a matter of fact ay na-finalize na ito. Dumaan na ito sa ating legal counsel, sa pangunguna po ni Secretary Panelo. Ito rin po ay dumaan na sa mga abogado po, sa Executive Secretary,” he said.

“Ang nangyari po last week ay we were overtaken by events. Like for instance, the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague. So doon po tayo nakatutok lahat. But this week, sisikapin po natin na mapirmahan ng Pangulo,” he added.