Desidario Camangyan

Desidario Camangyan
Born	1952
Died	June 14, 2010 Manay, Davao Oriental, Philippines
Occupation	Radio Journalist
Other names	"Jessie"
Domestic partner	Married
Children	One
Ethnicity	Pacific Islander
Nationality	Filipino

Desidario Camangyan, also called "Jessie", (1952 - June 14, 2010) was a radio journalist for Sunrise FM in Mati City in the southern Philippines. He was slain onstage in Manay, Davao Oriental, Mindanao, while hosting a singing contest ^[1].

He was the first of three political murders within the span of a week. One day after Camangyan, radio journalist Joselito Agustin of Bacarra was killed at a music event.^[2] Later that week print reporter Nestor Bedolido, of the Kastigador, was killed.^[3]

Death

Camangyan was acting as the host of an amateur singing contest. At around 10:30 p.m., he was shot a single time in the head at close range by a lone gunman, who then escaped on foot. Camangyan died on stage in front of the audience, including his wife and six-year-old son.^[2]

Context

Camangyan hosted a talk radio program on Sunrise FM, where he often gave scathing commentary on political corruption and deforestation. In addition to vocalizing his positions on the illegal logging industry, Camangyan also campaigned for the incumbent mayor of Mati shortly before his death. According to Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Camangyan, along with his two co-hosts, would regularly criticize corrupt officials and had received threats in regard to this practice. ^[4]

Police announced at the time of his death that they were investigating whether or not the assassination was related to Camangyan's profession.

Camangyn is just one of several journalists killed in the Philippines - listed by the Committee to Protect Journalists as one of the most dangerous regions for journalists and ranked third on it's 2010 Impunity Index ^[1].

Reactions

The death of Camangyan and two other journalists prompted calls for immediate action, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. name="CPJ1" On June 21, 2010, charges were filed against two suspects, a police officer named Dennis Jess Lumikid and a local official named Romeo Antoling who had asked Camangyan to host the singing competition. Lumikid would eventually be indicted for the crime, but charges were dropped against Antoling when there was not enough evidence to indict him. Several members of the June 14 audience - Camagyan's wife included - helped police identify the gunman.^[4]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Committee to Protect Journalists. "Radio broadcaster shot dead in the Philippines." June 15, 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2011 CPJ
2. ^ ^{a b} Conde, Carlos H. "Radio Journalist Slain in Philippines". New York Times. June 16, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2011 NYTimes
3. ^ Felongco, Gilbert P. June 21, 2010. "Political rivalry suspected behind journalist's killing." Gulf News. Retrieved November 2, 2011 Gulf News
4. ^ ^{a b} Committee to Protect Journalists. "Desidario Camangyan." June 14, 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2011 CPJ