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/
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Journalist injured in attempt on his life
ABS-CBN reporter harassed by policemen in Oriental Mindoro: The Manila Times
MANILA, Philippines - A Manila-based ABS-CBN radio reporter was harassed and threatened by members of the local police in Pola, Oriental Mindoro Thursday night on account of taking unsolicited video footage and political partisanship issue.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Press Corps President Noel Alamar of DzMM said that his camera was snatched by Pola Chief Inspector Telesforo Domingo, together with his men, clad in civilian clothes and sporting high-powered firearms around 9:30 on Thursday night.
Alamar told Camp Crame reporters in a teleconference on Friday that he was tipped by townmates in Pola of political leaning among the Pola police, which violates the order of Chief PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa about remaining a political days before the May 10 elections. Verzosa also gave directions not to follow illegal orders from politicians.
After checking the veracity of the tip, Alamar was surprised when Chief Insp. Domingo visited him early on Thursday at their ancestral house as they were commemorating the first death anniversary of his mother.
Apparently drunk, Chief Insp. Domingo asked him, “Sino ka ba?” [“Who are you?”]
The radio reporter immediately informed Mimaropa Regional Police Director, Chief Superintendent Paul Mascariñas and Oriental Mindoro Police Chief, Senior Superintendent Sonny Ricablanca what transpired, and they agreed to look into the complaint against Domingo.
Later on Thursday, Alamar went to the house of Pola Mayor-elect Panganiban. There, the DzMM reporter saw a mobile patrol vehicle parked in front of the house of Mayor-elect Panganiban at Barangay Zone 2 around 9:30 in the evening.
Chief Insp. Domingo was at the front seat and Alamar noticed that he and two other policemen in the vehicle were carrying guns while wearing only civilian clothes—a clear violation of the Omnibus Election Code.
Alamar took out his camera to videotape and document what he saw, but Chief Insp. Domingo spotted him and reportedly threatened to shoot him after snatching his camera.
Furthermore, Chief Insp. Domingo ordered his men to arrest Alamar for “obstruction of Justice” and also ordered his men to open fire at the civilians trying to protect the reporter.
Alamar voluntarily gave up resistance and entered the police vehicle but Pola residents took him out and
brought him inside the house of Mayor-elect Panganiban.
Additional police were sent in the area and barricaded the house but hundreds of people prevented them from arresting the Manila-based ABS-CBN reporter by forming human barricades.
Cooler heads intervened led by outgoing Mayor Alex Aranas and other policemen from the provincial mobile group, including Provincial Dir. Sr. Supt. Ricablanca, who ordered a full investigation of the incident.
In 2008, Chief Insp. Domingo was sacked as the town police chief of Victoria, also in Oriental Mindoro, after figuring in the shooting of a man in Mabini town in Batangas.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman, Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina told Crame reporters in an interview that PNP Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has ordered the removal of Domingo pending investigations. (Sammy Martin and Roselle Aquino)
Link:http://www.manilatimes.net/index.php/news/regions/17876-abs-cbn-reporter-harassed-by-policemen-in-oriental-mindoro
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Zamboanga veteran journalist David Erasga writes 30
The Philippine News Agency said Erasga suffered cardiac arrest minutes after his 83-year-old mother, Genoveva, died also of cardiac arrest.
The late journalist started his career as a broadcaster of the defunct dxYZ radio station in the late 1970s.
Prior to his job as senior radio broadcaster at the dxMR-Radyo ng Bayan, he opened and operated with his brothers the oldest offset printing press in Zamboanga - Leaders Press.
He also served as president of the Zamboanga Press Club (ZPC) in 2000 and president a year later of the Zamboanga Columnists Club for three years.
Aside from radio work, Erasga also published the city's oldest offset newspaper, the Zamboanga Star. This publication started as Zamboanga Newswatch in martial law days, which later became Business Star and finally Zamboanga Star.
Three years ago, he rose to the position of Worshipful Master of Mt. Apo Lodge 45, the oldest Masonic lodge in Mindanao-Zamboanga.