By ANTHONY IAN CRUZ
Malaya
Nov. 28, 2007

THE international press organization Reporters Without Borders yesterday called for “energetic measures” from President Arroyo in the aftermath of the murder of radioman Ferdinand Lintuan.

Describing it as a “terrible murder,” the group known by its French initials RSF said “the method used leaves no doubt that it was a targeted killing of a journalist who had criticized local politicians.”

Lintuan, 51, of dxGO radio, was shot dead Monday in Davao City by one of two men on a motorcycle.

RSF said Arroyo and PNP chief Avelino Razon “have a duty to give the local investigators all the resources they need to catch the gunmen and those who put them up to it.”

Quoting station manager Raul Antopuesto, RSF agreed that Lintuan was murdered because of his work as a journalist.

RSF said Lintuan had “often criticized local politicians,” including the Davao City government.

“He had, in particular, accused local officials of corruption in connection with the People’s Park, a local development project which he called the Crocodiles’ Park,” the RSF said.

Nicknamed “Batman” by his colleagues, Lintuan is the fifth journalist to be killed this year in the Philippines.

Lintuan, 51, was founding president of the Davao Association of Sports Journalists.

Task Force Batman has been created to solve the slaying.

Razon has ordered probers to explore all angles including the possible involvement of a “Davao Death Squad.”