The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines
(NUJP) in condemning the attack on a radio commentator and long-time Philippine Star correspondent in Iligan
City.
Lino dela Cruz reported that he was
attacked and threatened by three people while anchoring a block-time program for
station dxLS, Love Radio - Serbisyo sa Katawhan Una sa Tanan (Service to
the People First and Foremost) which is paid for by the provincial government
of Lanao del Norte. The incident took place at about 12:30 pm 18th March.
Dela Cruz said he was criticizing Casan
Maquiling, a former board member of Lanao del Norte and former mayor of the
municipality of Munai, when two men and a woman who identified herself as Maquiling's elder
sister accosted him inside the announcer's booth.
According to Dela Cruz, one of the two men
grabbed him by the throat and told him to stop making negative commentaries
against Maquiling.
Maquiling is running for governorship of
Lanao del Norte under the Liberal Party against incumbent governor Khaled
Dimaporo.
Dela Cruz, who only recently began anchoring
on the time program, said he had earlier spoken against Maquiling after
the latter criticized Abdullah Dimaporo, father of the incumbent governor, for
refusing to sign a covenant among local candidates calling for peaceful
elections in May. Dimaporo is running for a congressional seat in the 2nd
District of Lanao del Norte. Dela Cruz also discussed Maquiling's alleged support for
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
“Journalists in the Philippines must be able to exercise their duties free from
reprisals and intimidation,” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said. Freedom
of the press is an essential pillar of democracy. We demand that the government of the
Philippines investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice, demonstrating
a commitment to their national and international legal obligations which
guarantee Filipino citizens freedom of expression and an independent media”
For
further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950
The
IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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