QC Mayor Belmonte vows to seek accountability in shooting of photojourn
MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has vowed to seek accountability from perpetrators in the shooting of a photojournalist in Barangay Masambong on Thursday.
“On behalf of the entire Quezon City Local Government Unit, the Quezon City Police Department, and all peace-loving QCitizens, I would like to express my outrage and condemnation of the shooting incident that happened today in Barangay Masambong,” Belmonte said in a statement.
Photojournalist Joshua Abiad of Remate Online was wounded after he and his relatives were ambushed by unidentified gunmen in Quezon City on Thursday.
Probers said at least two men in a Toyota sedan traveling from the opposite direction opened fire at the victim’s vehicle.
Abiad, his brother and two minors aged eight and four were all wounded and brought to the hospital after the incident. Three other persons inside the vehicle were unharmed.
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security has noted that Abiad is a court witness of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police for drug cases.
Belmonte said that while it is a relief that Abiad has been declared out of danger, “this has not diminished our determination to bring his cowardly attackers to justice.”
She stressed that violence and intimidation have no place in Quezon City as she vowed that those behind the attack will be made accountable.
“A full investigation is currently underway, and we are confident that more details will soon lead to rightful arrests,” Belmonted continued. — Kristine Joy Patay
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Disclosure: Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte is a shareholder of Philstar Global Corp., which operates digital news outlet Philstar.com.