Mayor Denies Link In The Killing Of Philippine Journalist

December 27, 2007 6:03 a.m. EST

Manila, Philippines (AHN) - A mayor in a southern Philippine town known for his tough image and "Dirty Harry" style of management, on Thursday denies involvement in the killing of radio broadcaster Fernando Lintuan on Christmas Eve.

In a press conference, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte told reporters that the killing of Lintuan does not benefit the city of Davao as he denies any hand in the murder of the journalist who had been very critical of his administration.

"Mr. Lintuan has been criticizing me since 1988, and I have respected him for his views. It is the height of stupidity for me to do harm on him hours after he aired his criticism on the People's Park," Duterte said.

"Clearly there are unseen groups at work that has set up a scenario wherein City Hall is to be blamed for the killing of a journalist," the he added.

His statement came after the police dropped its theory that a local vigilante group, the Davao Death Squad or DDS, was responsible for the murder of Lintuan. The DDS had long been linked to Duterte although this was never proven.

The mayor said he will not intervene in the investigation into the death of Lintuan and will allow the police handle the probe.

In August 1987, Lintuan sustained injury when armed men barged into the booth of the radio station dxRA and killed announcer Leo Palo. Lintuan survived after Palo fell on him as the gunmen fired bullets into him.

On December 24 this year, Lintuan was driving his Volkswagen on his way to work when assassins ambushed him, this time, ensuring that he was dead.

Lintuan is the fifth journalist to have died from an assassin's bullets in the Philippines in 2007 and is the 67th to have died violently since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power in 2001.