2 Army Men Accused of Harassing Negros Reporter
NUJP, Negros media condemn rising wave of repression

For being an enterprising journalist, a Negros correspondent finds himself the target of harassment allegedly by two soldiers. NUJP and other media groups decried the incident and are calling on their colleagues nationwide to remain vigilant against renewed threats against the press.

BY KARL G. OMBION
Bulatlat.com

BACOLOD CITY - The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the media community in Negros came out as one over the weekend in condemning military officers and soldiers who reportedly were involved in the harassment of Carl Vanzales, a correspondent of a local daily, evening of Oct. 13.

Worse could have happened to Vanzales had he been cornered, abducted or even killed by two Army soldiers, NUJP leaders and journalists said.

Vanzales, a correspondent of The Visayas Daily Courier (TVDC) and nephew of retired Lt. Gen. Rene Justiniani, was on his way to Bacolod City from the mountain city of Canlaon when he saw a white Isuzu pick-up in Valladolid town 35 kms. south of Bacolod, with plate no. SDY 862. The vehicle belonged to the Canlaon City government.

As a journalist and a resident aware of his rights, Vanzales took picture of the vehicle which he believed was being misused it being a Sunday and not being office hours. He was however seen by the people on board including a rebel returnee, Nilo Cadigal. Instead of proceeding to Canlaon, the vehicle started to tail the Ceres Liner Bus in which Vanzales and a companion were on board.

Alarmed, Vanzales took his cellphone and called for assistance from friends and media colleagues in TVDC. He was instructed to get off in a place where his safety could be assured.

Indeed as Vanzales and his companion got off the bus just across the TVDC office, two men later identified as soldiers in civilian clothes rushed to them, but stopped when the two bus passengers were met by TVDC personnel and other friends. But the two soldiers posted in front of TVDC office just the same, obviously waiting for an opportune moment to get on their prey.

Responding to TVDC management’s call for assistance, a mobile police patrol arrested one of the two Army men after a brief chase. The other soldier fled from the scene soon after he was allowed by Inspector Jonathan Lorilla, the head of the arresting team, when he asked to contact his commanding officer.

The two Army men, according to Lorilla, were from the 3rd ID PA based in Jamindan, Capiz, Panay. They were identified through their IDs confiscated by Lorilla. The IDs were never shown to Vanzales and TVDC staff, however.

Lorilla reportedly asked Vanzales to settle the case amicably. “We’re in the same situation, they might lose their job if we pursue this case," Lorilla told the would-be victim.

On record

Vanzales insisted however that the harassment be put on record at a nearby police precinct. He said that the soldiers including Cadigal were after him. Cadigal recently surfaced as a witness in the killing of Jose Cardenas, former mayor of Canlaon.

During the investigation at a local precinct, Vanzales and TVDC personnel who were with him observed Lorilla being called several times through his cellphone. After each call, the police inspector would ask Vanzales to drop the case and settle it amicably prompting the reporter and TVDC personnel to ask Lorilla whether he was under pressure by military officers to let go of the case.

On Tuesday, the commanding officer of the 303rd Brigaide of 3rd ID PA in Negros denied over local radio stations that the two Army men are in the active or past rooster. He added that one of them claimed to be Cpl. Ronnie Tejada Jabongan, the name of a former engineer in Bacolod who just died two weeks ago. He also said that the incident was a communist propaganda gimmick.

Edgar Cadagat, NUJP president, said even before the Sunday incident the Negros media have been subjected to various forms of repression by the state military and paid goons.

Since Marcos

“They did these nasty things to us since Marcos time and persisted in the administrations of (Presidents) Aquino, Ramos, Estrada and again under Macapagal-Arroyo,” Cadagat said. “I myself was sent a coffin and barong before. They also threatened several times in the past to bomb Cobra-Ans office, and kill media men who they alleged as communists.”

Cadagat said that the military men were after Vanzales because of his critical reports in Canlaon. The city is described as a hotbed of violence and political turmoil as a result of alleged misgovernment.

In a press statement, NUJP called on mediamen to denounce attempts to muzzle the Negros media. This repressive tactic, it said, is an affront to press freedom which media practitioners have fought for through generations. Bulatlat.com

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