Attack on Abra Journalist Remains Unsolved

By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
Northern Dispatch
Posted by Bulatlat

BAGUIO CITY – An Abra journalist whose house was fired upon a month ago by unidentified gunmen has appealed to the police for an immediate resolution of her case as she feels threatened while the perpetrators are still roaming free.

Still clueless about who the perpetrators were, the police said, they cross-matched the recovered slugs from the scene with those recovered from other crimes committed in the area.

Marjorie Bandayrel-Trinidad, Abra Today staff, said there is no development yet in the case except for the cross matching of the recovered slugs. “The PNP told us they’re looking at it from another angle,” she said as she sought the help of the local NUJP (National Union of Journalist of the Philippines) chapter.

While admitting that no further incidents have happened as she has police protection now, her job as a journalist is being limited while the case remains unsolved.

The Attack

At around 3:30 A.M. of May 14, 2009, unidentified armed men fired three times and shattered the glass windows of Trinidad’s house in Bangued, Abra. Marjorie, her husband and their two-year old son were unhurt but the incident instilled fear on them.

Police recovered .45 caliber slugs in their bed but the identities of the perpetrators were not yet established.

Bishop Leopoldo C. Jaucian of the Diocese of Bangued condemned the attack against Trinidad and her family.

“If this (attack) was intentionally committed to harass and to silence (Marjorie) Trinidad in response to one of the issues brought out in Abra Today, I (the Bishop of Bangued and the whole church of Abra) strongly condemn this barbaric and violent act,” said Bishop Jaucian.

The Diocese of Bangued is the publisher of the now 20-year old newspaper Abra Today.

Work-related

The attack against Trinidad is believed to be related to her job as a journalist. In the May 3 issue of Abra Today, Trinidad wrote an editorial criticizing the Abra Electric Cooperative (ABRECO) for purchasing vehicles for officers of the power cooperative.

A day before she was attacked, Trinidad received a warning telling her to be careful as her editorial has angered some influential people. Her colleagues also said that Trinidad was indeed the target of such an attack.

The local NUJP also learned that the mother of ABRECO General Manager Loreto “Jun” Seases Jr. allegedly called on Trinidad to offer her a job in the said power cooperative.

Meanwhile, the NUJP Baguio-Benguet chapter urged police officials of Abra and the Cordillera to immediately solve the case so Trinidad can exercise her profession of bringing issues of interest to the public. (Northern Dispatch/Posted by Bulatlat.com)