Journalists Close Ranks; Demand Probe of Media Killings

The Philippine press closed ranks Aug. 16 as at least 200 journalists, broadcasters and photographers from the multimedia industry marched to the gates of the national police headquarters at Camp Crame, along Edsa, Quezon City to denounce police incompetence in solving media killings. Similar protests were held in the Visayas and Mindanao.

By Aubrey SC Makilan
and Ronalyn V. Olea
Bulatlat  

Their rage is hotter than the news  Photo by Aubrey SC Makilan

The Philippine press closed ranks Aug. 16 as at least 200 journalists, broadcasters and photographers from the multimedia industry marched to the gates of the national police headquarters at Camp Crame, along Edsa, Quezon City to denounce police incompetence in solving media killings.

Led by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), the journalists – at least half of them from the provinces and as far away as Mindanao – held a picket outside the Crame gates. Some of the placards screamed, “Justice for slain journalists!,” “Stop media harassment!” and “Uphold press freedom!”

Some protesters, led by NUJP secretary general Carlos H. Conde, staged a “die-down” to dramatize the media killings and the press’ determination to defend their freedom.

In a news conference held at Congress later, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo denounced the media killings as a threat to press freedom while his colleague, Rep. Teddy Casiño noted that human rights violations have become worse with the slaying of journalists and other professions.

Rep. Gilbert Remulla vowed to convene the Committee on Public Information, which he chairs, to inquire into the spate of media killings. The three legislators will file a joint resolution to start the investigation.

NUJP members led by their chair, Inday Espina-Varona, who also went to Congress from Camp Crame were stopped at the Batasan Pambansa complex gate for wearing black T-shirts. They were allowed to enter after a long wait following the intercession of Congressman Ocampo.

Joining the morning’s picket-rally, aside from NUJP, were the Philippine Center for Photo Journalism, Press Photographers of the Philippines, Mindanao Institute of Journalism, Center for Community Journalism and Development, Batangas Newswriters Association, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas, Pro-4 Media Group, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, NUJP chapters in Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon, College Editors Guild of the Philippines and Union of Journalists of the Philippines-UP Chapter.

In Bacolod City, leaders of the local chapter of NUJP reported that about 50 journalists marched through the streets with placards and streamers before converging in front of the city hall where they held a rally. Trimedia reporters from the Negros Press Club and Congress of Active Young Journalists joined the march-rally to denounce the media killings and demand state responsibility.

The Bacolod media also rejected police proposal to arm journalists for self-defense.

Black T-shirts

Journalists in Iloilo City and Antique wore black shirts in protest. Broadcasters read the list of martyrs of the press accompanied by the playing of solemn music.

In Gen. Santos City, southern Philippines local mediamen held a motorcade and stopped at the police headquarters where they lit candles and offered prayers to their fallen colleagues. The rally was highlighted by the burning of mock coffins symbolizing the threats to press freedom.

Similar protests were held in the cities of Cebu and Pagadian.

In Quezon City, a dialogue with the press was later held inside Crame’s multi-purpose hall. Philippine National Police (PNP) officials led by Deputy Director General Edgardo Aglipay assured the media that police authorities are looking into the media killings – 55 since 1986, six of them this year alone.

NUJP and the other media groups took to the streets in Metro Manila as well as in Davao in southern Philippines and Bacolod in Negros on the heels of the spate of killings victimizing three journalists in just a month. NUJP protested government’s apparent inaction on the cases, adding that none of the 55 incidents of killings has been looked into by the authorities.

Many of the media killings that have been documented took place in the provinces and involved policemen and soldiers.

Crame dialogue

In the dialogue, however, Col. Ignacio Radovan, head of Task Force Newsmen, disputed NUJP’s claim, clarifying that 20 to 30 percent of the cases have been resolved. 

Contrary to NUJP claim, Col. Ignacio Radovan, head of the Task Force overseeing murder cases against journalists, said that 20 to 30 percent of the cases have been resolved. Asked to clarify, Aglipay said that 20-30 percent of the cases have been filed for prosecution and were therefore already outside the hands of the police.  

DOUBLE INJUSTICE: They (left) mourn not only the deaths of their fathers, but also the lack of justice.  Rowena Endrinal  (right)  breaks into tears as she talks of her father Ruel’s case Photos by  Aubrey SC Makilan

Ma. Rowena Endrinal, daughter of radio broadcaster Ruel Endrinal who was slain in February this year, asked the PNP officials, “Kelan mahuhuli ang suspect sa pagpatay ng tatay ko?” (When will you arrest the suspect in the killing of my father?). 

Endrinal, known as a hard-hitting broadcaster of DWRL in Albay province south of Manila, was killed for exposing corruption and gambling operations in the province, reports indicated.

According to Ma. Rowena, the PNP has identified the main suspect as Clarito Arizobal, said to be among Albay’s top three most wanted criminals. But Arizobal remains on the loose.

Arnell Ozaeta, president of Batangas News Writers Association, also hit the PNP for the snail-paced investigation of the killing of Arnnel Manalo. A correspondent of Bulgar tabloid and DZRH reporter, Manalo was gunned down in Bauan, Batangas only last Aug. 5. 

Ozaeta revealed that the family of Manalo is hiding for fear of their lives. He added that the Bauan police have not even interviewed Manalo’s brother, the sole eyewitness to the killing.  “Anong klaseng imbestigasyon ba ‘yan?” (What kind of investigation is that?).

Meanwhile, Delfin Mallari Jr., correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, lashed out at police indetness in solving the killing of his college mate and fellow journalist Apolinario Pobeda.. Pobeda, who was with DWTI  in Lucena City, was killed on May 17 last year. 

Damalerio’s case

One of the celebrated cases was that of Edgar Damalerio. A reporter of the Zamboanga Scribe and Mindanao Gold Star in Pagadian City, Damalerio was killed on May 3, 2002.

Merpu Roa of Mindanao Institute of Journalism, who brought up Damalerio’s case in the dialogue, reminded the PNP that the case remains unsolved despite the fact that a photo of the suspected killer, PO Guillermo Wapille, has been all over the newspapers in Zamboanga for almost everyday.

NUJP chairperson, Inday Espina-Varona, challenged Aglipay and the other police officials to resolve immediately Damalerio’s case. Conde, on the other hand, said the case is very important in winning back the confidence of the public to the PNP.

Aglipay promised to hunt down the main suspect.

At presstime, NUJP leaders and other journalists were in Congress to ask legislators to conduct hearings on the media killings.

Meanwhile, a number of journalists and editors expressed their misgivings at the unsolved media killings even as they pressed for action by the members of media themselves to address the continuing threat of harassment against the sector.

In a roundtable discussion organized by the NUJP at Balai Kalinaw in UP Diliman, Quezon City Aug. 12, the media practitioners agreed to map out plans to stop the killings and give justice to their fallen colleagues.

“’Pag binitawan namin ‘to, bibitawan ng pulis ‘to e” (If we give up on this, the police won’t do anything), said Arnell Ozaeta, of Philippine Star in Batangas and member of the Batangas Newswriters Association.

Ozaeta said killers of journalists go scot-free knowing that law authorities would look the other way. What is worse, he said, killings go on because nothing is solved anyway.

Strong Republic

Some participants in the discussion asked if the killings are a pattern in President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s ”Strong Republic.” Joe Cortez, a magazine writer, said that he only remembers Adolf Hitler when talking about the “strong republic.”

Others noted that there could be many incidents of harassment that remain unreported. Mhuck Gaveta, a colleague of slain journalist Manalo, and another who now hides for fear of her life, feared they might suffer the same fate met by their friend.

Manalo’s colleagues believed that the reason behind his death was his story titled, “Gusto ko nang sumuko ngunit…papatayin nila ako” (I want to give up…but they’ll kill me) published in Veritas. The story was based on an interview with the president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) who had killed, in his line of duty, an aide of an influential businessman. His colleagues said Manalo could have earned the businessman’s ire for airing the barangay captain’s side.

In a recent national TV interview, Gayeta pointed to an “influential man” as being behind Manalo’s killing. “Kilala namin s’ya pero mahirap magsalita” (We know who he is but it’s difficult to say). He began receiving death threats after the TV talk. He thought he was being tailed by suspicious-looking men in several occasions.

Manalo’s other colleague was forced to go on leave for a week. Men who refused to identify themselves had called their office several times asking for the female journalist’s address, car plate number and other information.

Net25 anchor Arlyn dela Cruz also reported that PNP Director General Hermohenes Ebdane had advised journalists “Kung alam n’yo nang mainit kayo,’wag na kayong bumanat” (If you know you’re “hot,” stop criticizing). She also wondered why Interior and Local Government Secretary Angeloe Reyes said he saw no trend in the media killings.

Referring to the officials’ remarks, the NUJP said in a statement: "That is not a solution to the continuing assaults. (Their) prescription falls in directly with what the enemies of press freedom want: a cowed, cringing, silent press."

NUJP treasurer May Rodriguez, on the other hand, called the fellow journalists’ attention that not only are journalists being killed but also lawyers, judges and other professionals. “They kill lawyers. They kill judges. They kill journalists. Is there a trend? Is this not something to be worried about?” she asked.

Earlier, the NUJP castigated the PNP for its proposal to arm journalists. The group said it is “a virtual admission by the law-enforcement authorities of how inutile they are against those that seek to silence the press of this country.” 

While criticizing officials’ reactions to the continued murders of Filipino journalists, the NUJP members agreed to come up with independent actions to address the killings.

Among other plans, the NUJP agreed to form an investigating committee that will probe into the cases of killings and harassments of media workers and to ask Congress to investigate. Bulatlat

PHOTO ESSAY - Journalists 'Shooting' Journalists   By Aubrey SC Makilan

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