Journalist injured in attempt on his life

MANILA, Philippines - Police have yet to arrest the gunman and accomplice in the attempted killing of a Kalinga-based radio broadcaster in Tabuk City in Kalinga province, on May 15.

Tabuk City is approximately 317 kilometers north of Manila.

The alleged gunman chased Jerome Tabanganay, radio anchor for the government-run DzRK Radyo ng Bayan-Kalinga, inside the radio station compound and shot him four times in the legs. Initial police investigations said the incident was work-related.

Tabanganay said the gunman, who was waiting inside the radio compound, approached him as he arrived for his morning program at around 6:45 a.m. (local time) and asked for his name. Sensing danger, he ran inside the radio station, but the gunman chased and shot him, hitting his knee and the back of his right leg. The wounded Tabanganay was able to reach his radio booth, and cried for help.

The gunman escaped on board a motorcycle outside the station driven by another unidentified man. Another of the station's employees took Tabanganay to the hospital where he is currently recuperating.

Although Tabuk City Police say the crime is work-related, they are not disregarding other possible motives for the attack on Tabanganay.

In a phone interview with the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) on May 17, PO3 Benjamin Cawilan said that Tabanganay's work as a commentator in his radio program might have been related to the incident. In his news commentary program "Agenda", which airs daily from seven to nine in the morning and at 12 noon, he discusses topics related to his advocacy on good governance and reads messages from listeners about local issues such as corruption and crime.

Tabanganay told CMFR in another phone interview, also on May 17, that he had been receiving death threats through text messages that say, "I will kill you", and other similar warnings prior to the incident. He speculates that his commentaries might have hurt certain political figures in the province.

However, Tabanganay also mentioned that a local candidate who lost an election had accused him of being biased towards his rival. He said this might also have been a possible motive for his attacker. Tabanganay opted not to disclose the name of the candidate as he is waiting for the outcome of the police investigation and has yet to file a complaint.

Elections have always been a dangerous time for Filipino journalists. On November 23, 2009, a local politician, who is a member of a political clan in Maguindanao, allegedly led a hundred men in killing 57 persons including 32 journalists and media workers who were part of the convoy led by his rival politician's wife to file his Certificate of Candidacy at the regional Commission on Elections office. The attack, known as the "Ampatuan Massacre", was the worst attack on journalists and media workers in recent history. (Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility - International Freedom of Expression and Exchange)


Link: http://www.ifex.org/philippines/2010/05/19/tabanganay_murder_attempt/

Need for press freedom reforms in the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / May 18, 2010) - Reporters Without Borders said it is very concerned about the level of violence to which journalists continue to be exposed in the Philippines.

The latest incident was the attempted murder of radio presenter Jerome Tabanganay, who was shot twice outside his radio station in the northern province of Kalinga on May 14, four days after the country went to the polls.

“The toll from physical attacks on the press continues to mount in the final weeks of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s administration,” Reporters Without Borders said, calling for a thorough investigation into Tabanganay shooting. “A total of 137 journalists have been killed since she took office nine years ago. This shows that reforms aimed at promoting media freedom and protecting journalists are essential in the Philippines.”

The press freedom organization added: “We hope that the incoming government will do what is necessary to end the culture of impunity. We also appeal to President-elect Benigno Aquino to reestablish a positive climate for the media as soon as he takes office on July 1.”

The host of a news program on state-owned Radyo ng Bayan, Tabanganay was approached by a gunman as he arrived outside the station on the morning of May 14. He immediately started to run but the gunman managed to shoot him in the legs as he fled.

The attack came on the same day that Esmael Mangudadatu was declared the winner of the gubernatorial election in Maguindanao, a province in the southern Philippines. Mangudadatu's wife and two sisters were killed in massacre on November 23, 2009 in which 32 journalists lost their lives.

The massacre made the Philippines the world’s deadliest country for the media in 2009.

Reporters Without Borders also voiced its strong support for the call by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines to the outgoing government to bring forward a parliamentary vote on legislation that will decriminalize press offenses.