IFJ Condemns Threats Made to Philippines Journalists

Media Release: Philippines
June 27, 2012
IFJ Condemns Threats Made to Philippines Journalists
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in expressing deep concern over recent threats made to four journalists and a newspaper publisher.

According to NUJP reports, the media personnel were threatened in separate incidents immediately following articles and on-air statements made concerning illegal logging activities in Mindanao, in the southern Philippines.
Two commentators from the RMN-dxBC 693 AM radio station based in Butuan City - Sasie Babar and her co-anchor Gerry Campos of the daily morning radio program ’Straight to the Point’ - were threatened via text message on June 18 in connection with their on-air commentaries on illegal logging operations in the Caraga region of the Philippines. Both threats read "Prepare your coffins, this is from Cabantian. If you try to intervene with Edma (referring to businessman Roger Edma) your birthday will really change." Babar said they had been discussing the recent series of confiscations of illegally logged trees in Butuan.

Edwin Iyo, correspondent for the Mindanao Gold Star Daily in Cagayan de Oro City, also received death threats via text message on June 17 following an article he wrote on June 15 about the proposed filing of charges against prominent businessman Roger Edma by the Department of Interior and Local Government. Iyo alleged that Edma had made the threats. In response, Edma allegedly challenged Iyo to publish the death threat in his newspaper.

Iyo's editor-in-chief, Edilberto "Herbie" Gomez allegedly received a similarly-worded text message on the morning on June 19, saying he would be “fed to a crocodile”, and also made a threatening reference to Ernesto Chu, the publisher of the newspaper.

The threats made to Babar, Campos and Gomez reportedly all came from the same cell phone number.

Babar reported the threats to the Philippines Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and Iyo made a report to the police.
“The Philippines is amongst the most dangerous countries in the world for media workers and threats seeking to silence journalists are far too common” Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
“The IFJ joins the NUJP in calling on the authorities of the Philippines to investigate all threats swiftly and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice, and the safety of journalists to be ensured.”

ENDS

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