(FLIP/IFEX) – Milton Fabián Sánchez, a journalist with the radio station Yumbo Estéreo, was murdered on 9 August 2006 in Yumbo, a city in southeastern Colombia. The journalist was on his way home at approximately 10:30 p.m. (local time) when he was approached by two attackers that shot him twice from a motorcycle. Seriously wounded, […]
(FLIP/IFEX) – Milton Fabián Sánchez, a journalist with the radio station Yumbo Estéreo, was murdered on 9 August 2006 in Yumbo, a city in southeastern Colombia. The journalist was on his way home at approximately 10:30 p.m. (local time) when he was approached by two attackers that shot him twice from a motorcycle.
Seriously wounded, Sánchez was first taken to the Hospital La Buena Esperanza in Yumbo, and then moved to the Hospital Universitario del Valle, where he died at midnight.
Sánchez worked with Yumbo Estéreo since 2004, where he presented such programmes as “Administrative Observations” (“Notas de Gestión”), on the Yumbo municipal council, and “La Personería”. He also presided over a community programme called “Roundtable” (“Mesa Redonda”), which dealt with political issues.
Leonardo Orozco, a Yumbo Estéreo announcer, told FLIP that, as far as he was aware, Sánchez had not received any threats nor had he been dealing with the topics of public order or corruption.
According to Andrés Lizaralde, an official with the press office of theYumbo municipal council, “typically, Sánchez would deal with community issues, since he was so close to the Yumbo municipal council’s community action programme.” Another FLIP source noted that the journalist was also president of a neighbourhood community action group.
The chief of Cali Police, Coronel Orlando Vivas, has as little insight into the possible motives for the crime as the municipal council official. Similarly, municipal spokesperson Oscar Cifuentes denounced the crime but admitted to having no knowledge of any threats having been made against the journalist.
Sánchez, 38 years of age, ran the municipal council’s press office under the previous administration and maintained a good rapport with the current staff in that office. He even acted as master of ceremonies at some of the current administration’s events. He was studying public administration at the Higher School of Public Administration. Sánchez was married and had two children.
FLIP laments the death of Milton Fabián Sánchez and sends a message of solidarity to his family and friends. FLIP also requests that the public prosecutor’s office investigate the motives behind this crime and determine whether or not it was related to Sánchez’s journalistic work. FLIP will continue investigating the case.
