Journalists Targeted in Philippines Election

Journalists Targeted in Philippines Election Violence

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is greatly concerned by reports of early violence against media personnel as the Philippines national elections begin today.

Rolando Gono, radio stringer and writer for the weekly Azilam Review in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao, went missing on May 9, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an IFJ affiliate.

A colleague and Hot FM 106.3 radio reporter, Rene Abris, told the NUJP that he received a message from Gono asking for help after being accosted by a group of unknown people.
His whereabouts remain unknown.

Abris and Gono reportedly went to Catarman police station yesterday to report an assault on Herbert Hugo Dumaguing and his son, Hubert, who both work for Cagayan de Oro cable station TV13. The two were reportedly beaten on their heads and threatened with guns by Camiguin Governor Jurdin Jesus M. Romualdo and several men after they saw some local officials allegedly distributing envelopes to Catarman residents.

A camera and other possessions belonging to the journalists were seized by the attackers.

The Dumaguings and Abris are now under the protection of Catarman police, who have reportedly arrested one man. Police also reportedly met with Governor Romualdo.

Meanwhile, Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Orlando Dinoy reportedly received a death threat on May 8 from Bansalan mayor Edwin Reyes, a candidate for the Nacionalista Party in Davao del Sur province in the southern Philippines.

Dinoy told the NUJP the mayor targeted him for his coverage of the campaign of a rival candidate, incumbent Bansalan vice-mayor Melchor Arches, who is a Nationalist People’s Coalition candidate. Dinoy said Reyes also blamed him for allegedly spreading defamatory propaganda used in the campaigns of his political rivals.

Reyes reportedly told Dinoy he would arrange for the journalist to be killed after the elections.

“The IFJ again calls on all candidates standing for election today to publicly commit to ending the culture of impunity for attacks against journalists in the Philippines, where 137 journalists have been killed for their work since 1986. Of these, 100 have been killed during the administration of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

“With politically motivated violence in recent days including the disappearance of one journalist, the bashing of two, and threats against another, the need for a response is urgent.”

ENDS

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