Journalists Killed in 2004 - Motive Confirmed: Elpidio Binoya
- Document source:
-
Date:
January 2005
Radyo Natin
June 17, 2004, in General Santos, Philippines
Binoya, a radio commentator and local station manager with Radyo Natin, was gunned down outside the port city General Santos, on the southern island of Mindanao, according to local news reports. Binoya was known for his pointed political commentaries.
Binoya was on his way home in the afternoon when two gunmen on a motorcycle ambushed him along a highway on the outskirts of the city. The assailants chased down Binoya, who was also riding a motorcycle, and shot him several times from behind. The shots killed him instantly, according to news reports. The gunmen then fled the scene.
General Santos Police Chief Willie Dangane said that Binoya had made enemies among politicians in the southern town of Malungon, where his station is based, and that he had been beaten the week before his killing, according to The Associated Press.
In early August, the General Santos City Prosecutor's Office found "probable cause for murder qualified by treachery and evident premeditation" against local political leader Ephraim "Toto" Englis and identified two other individuals allegedly involved in the killing, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), a local press freedom organization.
Englis and a second suspect, Alfonso Roquero, surrendered to local police on August 23, and Dangane initiated the filing of murder charges against the two, according to The Philippine Star. In his broadcasts, Binoya had accused Englis of bribery, according to CMFR. Englis and Roquero denied involvement in the slaying.
Medium: | Radio |
Job: | Columnist / Commentator |
Beats Covered: | Corruption, Politics |
Gender: | Male |
Local or Foreign: | Local |
Freelance: | No |
Type of Death: | Murder |
Suspected Source of Fire: | Government Officials |
Impunity: | Yes |
Taken Captive: | No |
Tortured: | Yes |
Threatened: | Yes |
Disclaimer: © Committee to Protect Journalists. All rights reserved. Articles may be reproduced only with permission from CPJ.
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.