House probe sought for Palawan broadcaster’s slay

Two militant lawmakers on Wednesday filed a resolution calling for a congressional investigation on last Monday’s killing of Palawan radio broadcaster and known anti-mining advocate Gerardo Ortega. Bayan Muna party-list Reps. Teodoro Casiño and Neri Colmenares filed House Resolution 683 urging the House committee on human rights to investigate — in aid of legislation — what they deemed as another case of “extrajudicial killing" in the country. [See: Palawan broadcaster shot dead, gunman caught] At least five people, including a former provincial administrator and two suspected gunmen, have been charged for the crime that was highly condemned by media and environmental organizations. The party-list lawmakers said it is imperative for Congress to probe Ortega’s killing to determine the “role and culpability of the local governments and large-scale mining companies in Palawan." They said the House panel should look at the killing of “environmental defenders" and “anti-mining activists" like Ortega who “continue to be targeted, hunted, and killed under the Aquino government." According to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, Ortega was the 142nd journalist killed since democracy was restored in the Philippines in 1986, and the second under the almost seven-month old administration of President Benigno Aquino III. Militant environmental group Kalikasan Peoples Network for the Environment, meanwhile, said Ortega was the 37th environmental advocate and the 28th anti-mining advocate to be killed since 2001. - Andreo Calonzo/KBK, GMANews.TV