In the middle of a blackout, Philippine Daily Inquirer correspondent Julie Alipala files a blotter before the Zamboanga City Police. (Photo taken from her Facebook page)

A correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported an attempt by two unidentified men to threaten her.

Inquirer Mindanao correspondent Julie Alipala filed an incident report before the Zamboanga City Police Friday afternoon (Sept. 14), after two motorcycle-riding men wearing full-faced helmets stopped at her house and asked her son her whereabouts.

Alipala reported the incident, which happened at around 5:00 pm, at the Divisoria Police. PO2 Vince Perez took the statements she and her son filed.

Alipala narrated the incident at her Facebook page. She said after the motorcycle stopped at her house’s gate, the back rider got off and asked her whereabouts. Her son said she was inside the house.

The back rider, Alipala said, removed his helmet and requested her son to call her. She was about to get out of the house when she noticed the motorbike had no license plate.

“At the doorstep (which she approximated to be four meters to the gate), I asked [one of the two men, in a clean white shirt] what they wanted. [I] also noticed the motorbike’s engine [was] about to run. I asked again about their intention in a loud tone. The guy said they just wanted to know if I was selling the wrangler [jeep parked outside the house]. I said no and [when I was] about to ask why, they left hastily,” she continued.

At around 11:00pm, Alipala again posted a message on her Facebook page, and assured concerned friends and colleagues that she is safe.

In the same post, she said the incident could be linked to her reports on the arrest of alleged suspects behind two kidnapping incidents–those of an Indian national in Sulu and of a Chinese national in Zamboanga.

The arrests, she said, “sparked so many questions against an official”, following speculations of mistaken identity. However she did not reveal the said official’s name and position.

For Reference:

JB Deveza
NUJP Mindanao Safety Office

Rowena C. Paraan
Secretary General