PTFOMS Commends Arrest Of Suspect In Capiz Mediaman Ambush

Roxas City-As the international community observes the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFOMS) commended the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the arrest of a suspect in the ambush of a Capiz broadcaster, while stressing that arrests must be followed by sustained efforts toward accountability through due process.

“Ending impunity means ensuring that attacks against journalists are not ignored, that cases are not forgotten, and that victims and their families can have confidence that justice remains within reach,” said Undersecretary Jose Torres Jr., executive director of PTFOMS.

“An arrest is an important step, but our collective responsibility does not end there. Cases must be diligently pursued, with full respect for due process and the independence of the courts,” he said.

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed November 2 as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists through Resolution 68/163, adopted on December 18, 2013. The date commemorates the killing of French journalists Ghislaine Dupont and Claude Verlon, who were murdered in Mali on November 2, 2013, while on assignment for Radio France Internationale.

First observed in 2014, the day draws attention to the failure to bring perpetrators of crimes against journalists to justice. The resolution urges Member States to take measures to prevent violence against journalists, ensure accountability through impartial, speedy, and effective investigations, and bring perpetrators to justice. UNESCO leads efforts within the UN system to mark the observance and advance journalist safety and the fight against impunity.

Torres said the occasion is both a tribute to journalists who have lost their lives and a call for concrete action to protect those who continue to report in the public interest.

“This observance reminds us that impunity is not only a denial of justice to individual victims. It can embolden further attacks, silence other journalists, and deprive communities of information they need. Breaking that cycle requires sustained action, not simply expressions of concern,” he said.

PTFOMS commended Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6), led by PBGen Randulf T. Tuaño, for the October 30, 2026, arrest of a suspect known by the alias “Doming” in Barangay Poblacion, Tapaz, Capiz.

According to PRO6, the suspect is allegedly involved in the June 22, 2026, ambush of radio broadcaster and station manager Jay Lavapiez. At approximately 5:40 a.m. that day, Lavapiez was driving his vehicle along the national highway in Barangay Cagay, Roxas City, on his way to host his program at Baskog Radyo, when two men on a motorcycle blocked his path and fired four shots from a 9mm pistol at the driver’s side. Lavapiez managed to evade the attack by maneuvering his vehicle into a roadside gutter and was unharmed.

The intelligence-driven operation resulting in the arrest was led by the Tapaz Municipal Police Station, in coordination with the Capiz Provincial Police Intelligence Unit, 2nd Capiz Provincial Mobile Force Company, Roxas City Police Station, Regional Intelligence Division, and Regional Special Operations Group.

Police served a warrant of arrest issued on August 12, 2026, by the Regional Trial Court, Branch 15, Roxas City, for attempted murder. The court set bail at P120,000. According to the police release, the accused was placed in the custody of the Tapaz Municipal Police Station for documentation and legal disposition. He remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

“We thank the PNP, particularly PRO6 under PBGen Tuaño and the operating units, for their persistence and coordinated work in bringing the suspect before the courts,” Torres said.

“We urge investigators and all concerned authorities to sustain their efforts so that this development advances the pursuit of justice for the broadcaster,” he added.

Torres stressed that the case of Lavapiez, who survived the assassination attempt, forms part of the broader challenge of addressing violence against media workers. He also called for sustained attention to unresolved killings of journalists and the families still waiting for justice.

“No single institution can end impunity on its own. We need sustained cooperation among law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, the judiciary, media organizations, civil society, and the public,” he said.

“We appeal to everyone with credible information to come forward through the proper authorities and help secure justice for slain media practitioners and those who have survived attacks,” Torres added.

PTFOMS reaffirmed its commitment to working with national and international partners to strengthen journalist safety, monitor cases, and facilitate coordination among the institutions responsible for investigating and prosecuting attacks against media workers.

“When journalists are safe, societies are better informed. When crimes against them are properly investigated, and those responsible are held accountable, the rule of law is strengthened,” Torres said.

“We owe victims and their families sustained action—not only on this day of remembrance and solidarity, but for as long as the pursuit of justice requires,” he added. #