Radio broadcaster killed in Mindanao

Alert - Philippines

20 November 2000

SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter sent to Filipino Minister of Interior Alfredo Lim, RSF expressed its concern after the murder of Olipio "Jun" Jalapit, journalist and broadcaster with the private radio station DXPR in Pagadian, in the province of Zamboanga (Mindanao Island, south of the country). The press freedom organisation asked the minister to "intervene personally in order that the security services may identify the person responsible for

this killing". RSF asked to be kept informed of progress in the inquiry.

"The journalist had received death threats a short time before his murder," noted Robert Ménard, RSF's secretary-general.

According to information collected by RSF, on 17 November 2000, Jalapit,

broadcaster for several programmes of the private radio station DXPR, was murdered in front of a school in Pagadian City. An unidentified person opened fire on the journalist and his driver before making a getaway. Jalapit was killed by a bullet in the neck. His driver was not injured in the attack. According to the authorities, the broadcaster had "many enemies" because of his programmes, in which he denounced corruption in the province. He recently investigated the disappearance of funds from an educational foundation. His colleagues said he received threats after these programmes. DXPR is part of the RMN radio network, based in Manila. DXPR broadcasts to Pagadian City and the south-west of Mindanao Island.

For further information, contact Vincent Brossel at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy

Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: asie@rsf.fr Internet: http://www.rsf.fr

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