(CMFR/IFEX) – The town mayor charged with the killing of Aklan broadcaster Herson Hinolan has gone missing, following the upgrading of the case from homicide to murder. Police are saying that they cannot serve a warrant of arrest for Lezo Mayor Alfredo Arceno as they have been unable to locate him. Arceno, whom Hinolan had […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – The town mayor charged with the killing of Aklan broadcaster Herson Hinolan has gone missing, following the upgrading of the case from homicide to murder.
Police are saying that they cannot serve a warrant of arrest for Lezo Mayor Alfredo Arceno as they have been unable to locate him. Arceno, whom Hinolan had attacked in some of his commentaries, used to be a military sergeant.
The arrest warrant was issued on 7 September 2006 by Aklan Regional Trial Court Branch 7.
On 13 November 2004, Hinolan was shot seven times in different parts of his body by a gunman near a carnival along a local street in Kalibo, Aklan, about 350 kilometres south of Manila.
Hinolan was a commentator and station manager working for the Kalibo-based radio station dyIN. Aside from criticizing Arceno, Hinolan had criticised illegal gambling activities in the province.
Hinolan was the 17th journalist killed in the line of duty during the Arroyo administration, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. He was also the second broadcaster killed in Aklan province in a span of three years.
Philippine media groups are saying that a weak judiciary and poor law enforcement are feeding on the so-called “culture of impunity.”
