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December 21, 2007
PNP must act to protect Mindoro publisher
Another colleague has been forced to go into hiding because influential people he has crossed are seeking to impose on him the ultimate form of censorship – death.
Baculo, publisher of the local tabloid "Traveler's News" in Calapan City and former host of the radio program "Isumbong Mo Kay Ka Nilo," wrote the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) to report that hired killers are out to get him.
We immediately sought and received confirmation from media colleagues in Mindoro that Baculo has gone into hiding because of the threat to his life.
According to the information relayed to NUJP, Baculo has run afoul of
powerful local politicians and their cohorts whose alleged corruption
he has exposed. He is also helping three minors who
have filed complaints against local authorities who allegedly abused
and trafficked them.
Baculod himself reported that the first hit man contracted to kill him backed out and told him about the plot on his life. After this, those out to get him hired other killers to hunt him down.
We understand from the information relayed to us that Baculo cannot
expect any assistance from local law enforcers because of their close
ties to the powerful people out to get him.
While we have also been informed that Mr. Baculo is a controversial
personality, the NUJP maintains that this does not detract from the
fact that the threat to his life stems from his reports of alleged official
wrongdoing whose subjects now seek to silence him.
The NUJP demands that the leadership of the Philippine National Police
act immediately to provide protection to Mr. Baculo and investigate the
threat to his life. We likewise demand, should the allegations that local
law enforcers are turning a blind eye to his plight because of
their connections to those out to get him be true, that these enforcers
be relieved and sanctioned for willfully turning their back on their
sworn duty to protect life.
We call on the Department of Interior and Local Government to investigate
the local officials allegedly behind the plot to kill
Baculo, as well as their alleged felonies that our colleague has exposed.
We urge President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to issue an unequivocal command
to the state's security forces to immediately put a stop to
all attacks and threats on the media and on journalists, and back up
this order with clear sanctions for non-compliance.
While she has time and again professed her commitment to human rights
and civil liberties, the President still has to issue such an order,
coupled with resolute action against violators and those among her subordinates
refuse to heed her command, which we maintain is the only way she can
prove that her administration means what it says.
Lastly, we call on our colleagues in Mindoro and all over the country
to rally round Mr. Baculo. While we are glad that the country has improved
in the press freedom rankings of international media watchdog organizations,
nevertheless we lost four colleagues this year. Let us unite and say
that we will not abide such brazen threats to our lives, our profession
and our freedoms go unchallenged. We owe it not just to ourselves but,
most important, to the people we serve.
References:
Joe Torres Jr., chairperson, NUJP
Rowena Paraan, Executive Coordinator, IFJ-NUJP Media Safety Office