H. E. Gen. Fidel Ramos
President of the Philippines
Malacańang Palace
Metro Manila
The Philippines
Vienna, 30 March 1998
The International Press Institute (IPI), the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the killing of a radio announcer in the southern Philippine city of Zamboanga on Monday, 30 March.
Rey Bancairin was shot in the head by two gunmen while talking to a listener on air. The unidentified killers had entered his booth at the radio station DXLL and shot him at point-blank range.
Bancairin, one of the most popular radio commentators in Zamboanga, was known for his attacks on corrupt politicians and drug traffickers. IPI fears that he may have been killed because of his work as a journalist and urges Your Excellency to order an immediate and thorough investigation into his murder. We further urge you to disclose any findings into this heinous crime and respectfully remind you that the 3 June 1997 murder of Danny Hernandez, the former news editor of the daily People’s Journal Tonight, remains unsolved.
We thank you for your attention.
Yours sincerely,
Johann P. Fritz
Director