The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of
Journalists Philippines (NUJP) in expressing serious concern about reports of
threats made on the life of a journalist in Kidapawan City.
According to reports,
two Kidapawan City journalists received separate but similar text messages
detailing a plan to assassinate a colleague after the May 2013 elections.
Malu Manar,
chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Kidapawan
City Chapter said she and another journalist received text messages in the early
hours of Sunday, January 13, from a person claiming to be a hired-assassin stating
that a contract had been put out for the killing of fellow Kidapawan City
journalist, Joy Francisco.
Manar said the person
who sent the message had identified themselves as a member of a gun-for-hire
group which is linked to the 2011 murder of Italian priest Fr Fausto
"Pops" Tentorio. The sender further alleged that a staff member of a
local politician had promised a member of his group P100,000 for the killing of
Francisco. The sender said they chose to divulge the plot to kill Francisco after
learning that the target is a woman.
Manar attempted to
call the number (+63 921 409 5902)
but failed to get through.
Francisco, publisher
and editor-in-chief of the Kidapawan City weekly Southern Voice Journal, said she has reported the matter to police
authorities. Francisco has been critical of a particular politician in North
Cotabato in the past but said it is also possible other people may be taking
advantage of her well-known tiff with the local politician to mislead her.
The
IFJ joins the NUJP in calling on the police and government of the Philippines
to immediately launch an independent investigation into this threat and act to
bring the perpetrators to justice, ” IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park
said.
The
Philippines is amongst the most dangerous countries in the world for media
workers. Over 160 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since 1986.
November 2012 marked the third anniversary of the Maguindanao massacre – the
single worst attack of journalists – in which 58 people were killed.
For
further information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +61 2 9333 0950
The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131
countries
Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific
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