Beware of motorcycles

FOR assassins, those noisy two-wheelers now appear to be the vehicle of choice.

On Tuesday, 43-year old photojournalist Albert Orsolino was shot at close range by two men on board a motorcyle while he was driving his car down a busy Caloocan street.

His was the latest of the gruesome killings carried out by motorcycle-borne assassins targeting journalists and activists. Also on Tuesday morning, 62-year old Jose Doton, the head of the Bayan Muna Pangasinan chapter, was gunned down in San Nicolas town in the province by two men riding tandem on a red Honda motorbike. Doton and his brother Cancio were themselves on board on a motorcyle on their way home when the attack took place.

Orsolino, who worked the Malacañang beat as a photographer for the tabloid Saksi Ngayon, was the 58th journalist killed since 1986 and the fourth slain this year. (It now appears, though, that his murder was not work-related but linked to a personal grudge.)

In 2002, Pagadian City radio and newspaper journalist Edgar Damalerio was also shot by two motorcyle-riding men who drove close to the Owner Jeep the journalist was driving and then killed him pointblank. Like Orsolino’s murder, the shooting took place in broad daylight on a busy downtown street.

In May 2005, DXAA commentator Klein Cantoneros was riding his motorbike home in the wee morning hours when he was met by a hail of gunfire from two men on board a motorcycle. Police later said he had been hit seven times.

Maximo Quindao, publisher and editor of the weekly newspaper Mindanao Truck, was lucky. He, too, was stopped by two motorcycle-riding men who peppered him with bullets as he left his office in Tagum City.

Fortunately, the journalist survived the attack, although he was severely injured, with four bullet wounds. The attack took place at a.m.

The pattern of the killings is chilling, showing brazeness and premeditation on the part of the killers. The shootings took place in broad daylight on busy streets near the victims’ homes or offices. The assassins struck in pairs, and used motorcycles, making it easier for them to weave in and out of traffic virtually unnoticed, come close to the victims’ vehicles and then make a quick getaway.

For this reason, those who feel that their lives may be threatened or who have already received death threats should be particularly wary of motorcycles.

Here are some tips from the PCIJ’s book, Staying Alive: A Safety Manual for Journalists. Copies of the book can be obtained from the PCIJ (email marketing@pcij.org).

• Keep eyes and ears alert for vehicles, especially motorcycles, following you. A journalist driving his or her own vehicle must constantly check the rear view mirror for signs of a tail.
• When driving on wide lanes or avenues, drive close to the island to prevent motorcycles from approaching or riding abreast. As in the Damalerio case, the killer came from the left and had a clear shot of Damalerio, who was driving. Vary your routes and your schedules. When going home or to the office, take different routes and leave at different times. The easiest targets are those who keep to a predictable schedule and routine. A journalist’s predictable schedule makes it easy for assassins to conduct surveillance and plan a hit.
• Avoid walking in deserted and dark or dimly lit streets, which make you vulnerable to attack. If walking at night, do so facing oncoming vehicles. If you sense you are being followed, run to a place where there are people and call for help. If you think you are being followed, head straight for the nearest police precinct and report the incident to the police. At the end of the day, do not take your tail home with you. Try to shake him off by proceeding to the police station.
• When riding a taxi, constantly check for suspicious-looking vehicles or motorcycles that may be behind. If you think you are being followed, ask the taxi driver to speed up and honk loudly to draw attention, in order to unnerve and shake off persons who may be following you. Ask the driver to proceed to the nearest police precinct and report the incident.
• When riding a bus or a jeepney, avoid waiting for your ride alone. Blend into a crowd of commuters at a bus or jeepney stop. On a bus, avoid taking a seat near an open window where you can be a easy target. Pick a spot behind the driver or near the door for easy exit.