Journalist escapes second murder attempt

PRESS FREEDOM ALERT
Reporters Sans Frontières

6 April 2000

Philippines: Journalist escapes second murder attempt

In a letter sent to the interior minister, Alfredo Lim, Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) said it was deeply concerned for the safety of Zamzamin Ampatuan, a broadcaster at the Roman Catholic radio station dxMS, who escaped a second attempt to murder him. RSF welcomed the security measures taken by the government and asked the minister to reinforce its protection. RSF also asked the minister to "open an inquiry to identify and punish the assailants".

According to the information collected by RSF, on the night of 27 March about ten armed people attempted to kill Zamzamin Ampatuan, presenter of the "Radio Kalimudan" programme broadcast by the Roman Catholic station dxMS. The journalist was on his way home after recording his programme in Cotabato City, Mindanao island. The assailants ambushed his vehicle and opened fire with automatic rifles. One of the journalist's bodyguards, Arturo Maraya, was killed and five others injured. The journalist was wounded in the left foot and spent five days in hospital. Earlier, on 27 February, a bomb exploded outside the radio building when Zamzamin Ampatuan was recording his programme. Police and dxMS staff have accused militants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of being behind the attacks. A police report identified Jack Abdullah, alias Commander Putao, as the person responsible for the last attempt, but an MILF spokesman denied the allegations. In his broadcasts, Zamzamin Ampatuan has criticised the MILF and called for religious dialogue in the country.

+++niuswire

PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH is an independent, non-profit, non-government organisation comprising journalists, lawyers, editors and other media workers, dedicated to examining issues of ethics, accountability, censorship, media freedom and media ownership in the Pacific region. Launched in October 1996, it has links with the Journalism Program at the University of the South Pacific, Bushfire Media, the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism, and Pactok Communications, in Sydney and Port Moresby.

(c)1996-2000 Copyright - All rights reserved.

Items are provided solely for review purposes as a non-profit educational service. Copyright remains the property of the original producers as indicated. Recipients should seek permission from the copyright owner for any publishing. Copyright owners not wishing their materials to be posted by PMW please contact us. The views expressed in material listed by PMW are not necessarily the views of PMW or its members.

Recipients should rely on their own inquiries before making decisions based on material listed in PMW. Please copy appeals to PMW and acknowledge source.

For further information, inquiries about joining the Pacific Media Watch

listserve, articles for publication, and giving feedback contact Pacific

Media Watch at: E-mail: niusedita@pactok.net.au or: bfmedia@mpx.com.au Fax: (+679) 30 5779 or (+612) 9660 1804 Mail: PO Box 9, Annandale, NSW 2038, Australia or, c/o Journalism, PO Box 1168, Suva, Fiji Website: http://www.pactok.net/docs/pmw/

© Scoop Media