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February 23, 2007
Report from NUJP-Kidapawan
City
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
(NUJP) in Kidapawan City in North Cotabato joined hundreds of thousands
of journalists all over the globe in urging the Philippine government
to end summary executions of activists and media in the country.
The group, led by its chair, Malu Cadelina Manar, programming director of radio
station DXND, the pioneering Catholic-ran radio station in North Cotabato owned
by the missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, lighted 50 candles that symbolized
the 50 fallen journalists under the Arroyo administration.
After the candle lighting, a short program was held at the DXND mini-auditorium
and was aired live over DXND-AM and DXDM-FM, two of the five radio stations owned
by the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation (NDBC) in southwest Mindanao.
"As we lighted those candles, we prayed for strength to continue with our
cause, that is, to defend press freedom," the NUJP Kidapawan City statement
said.
The NUJP members wore black t-shirts and arm bands as they mourned the death
of their comrades and the seeming failure or inaction of the government to resolve
cases of media killings in the country.
Only four of the 87 cases of media killings in the country reached convictions.
But the real perpetrators of the crimes have remained at large.
Prosecutor Al Calica, head of the Task Force on Anti-Terrorism of the Department
of Justice (DoJ) in Region 12 (southwest Mindanao), told reporters during the
program that witnesses to the media killings "are on the priority list of
the government's witness protection program," aside from those that testified
on cases involving terrorism and other national security issues.
Calica is the regional implementor of the DoJ's Witness Protection Program in
southwest Mindanao.
Among those that have already availed of the program is the prime witness to
the killing of Tacurong City-based hard-hitting print journalist Marlene
Garcia-Esperat.
The witnesses to the double-murder of journalists George and Macel Alave-Vigo
had already applied for the program, Calica said. Radio commentator Alberto Martinez,
who survived a slay attempt in April 2005 which made him half-paralyzed, will
be under the program starting April this year.
Calica said that the DoJ can not prevent media killings, "but through speedy
prosecution of those involved in the crimes will help minimize, if not stop,
the silencing of journalists using guns."
"The killings seem to have consent; it's like killing with license. And
because there seems to have consent, the killings remain unsolved until today.
We, at the NUJP, join journalists all over the globe in seeking justice for our
fallen comrades and in urging the government to do something to end impunity," said
the NUJP Kidapawan City chapter.