68 | MEDIA TIMES 2013 Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility

BY PAUL DAWNSON M. FORMARAN

He was more than his dead body, like all the journalists who have died before him.Thats him, his common-law wifeconfirmed. But it was no longer him,lying there in a coffin.

The people sitting on a narrow bench and the people passing through or standing beside the coffin barely fit the alley where they held the funeral. His mother was sitting at the other end, mourning her third child who had diedbefore her.

AGAINST THE PRESS*

BY THE NUMBERS:

*As of October 2013

ATTACKS &

Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility 2013 MEDIA TIMES | 69

I told him to stop it with the tabloid business, his mother said

in a hushed voice.

Bonifacio Loreto Jr. must have known it was coming. He had

received death threats like the others. His family was fearful but

he went on anyway.

Loreto had just come out with the irst issue of Aksyon Ngayon, a tabloid he published and wrote for as a columnist. Like many other

tabloids in the country, the irst issue devoted the bulk of its four

pages to police crime stories, jueteng, rape and other sexual offences.

The paper opened its pages during the campaign period of the 2013

mid-term elections. Like many designed to win votes for this or

that candidate, it would probably have closed after the election. But

Loreto would not live long enough to release his second issue.

The story is typical. Many tabloids have the short life tied to

the campaign funds fueling the election. Such tabloids are seen

as petty partisan rags which in the ield of electoral competition

are enough of a threat to some parties, provoking fatal attacks

from those they cross.

Loreto is just one of the eight Filipino journalists and

media workers killed for their work this year. Several more

were attacked and threatened as victims of the violence that

contaminates local politics.

REPORTED INCIDENTS

66As of October this year, there were

66 reported incidents of attacks and

threats against journalists and media

workers in 2013 while there were

39 reported incidents in 2012, when

there was no elections. This count does

not include the killing of journalists.

Attacks and threats happen in various ways. Not all incidents

rise from the heat of elections. Some involve actions as simple

as reporters being barred from covering the canvassing of votes

during elections, while some were as alarming as a blocktimers

home being shot at twice, after he was arrested for libel without

a warrant and without a case being iled.

Blocktimers are broadcasters who buy blocks of time from radio stations or cable TV channels to air their programs. They usually pay for the blocktime through sponsors, some of whom are politicians, some advertisers.

& THREATS

70 | MEDIA TIMES 2013 Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility

The bulk of these incidents happened in Metro Manila, where

practitioners have long been thought to be immune from such attacks.

Fifteen incidents were reported of journalists attacked and threatened

in the capital region, an area regarded as safer than the provinces.

Nine incidents happened in the Bicol Region (Region V) and

eight in Central Luzon (Region III). Ten of the 17 incidents of

attacks and threats in these two regions involved radio workers.

Nine occurred while covering this years elections.

AGAINST RADIO WORKERS

32Of the total 66 incidents during the year, 32 were against radio workers. Nineteen of these 32 incidents were election-related. This trend seems to relect a inding of a study by the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) Policy Center on political dynasties.

The AIM Policy Center study released in March found a relationship

between political dynasties and the number of AM radio stations.

Where the political dynasty held less positions in local government,

there were more AM radio stations operating, relecting greater level

of competition among political forces in the province. Where there are

fat dynasties, there is less radio, less competing voices in the media.

In a blog post from the Philippine Center for Investigative

Journalism (PCIJ), AIM Policy Center executive director, Professor

Ronald Mendoza, deined a fat dynasty as one that has been able to

expand across several elective positions simultaneously. For example,

a political family may have, at any one time, a member in Congress, in

the provincial capitol, in the municipal halls, and in the town councils.

Mendoza identiies the presence of a critical radio broadcasting as

a factor that prevents a political dynasty from expanding, allowing

other newer, political dynasties to compete. (The political dynasties

cant expand) it seems, according to the results we are seeing,

Mendoza was quoted as saying in the PCIJ blog post. Media are

leveling the playing ield by providing information.

The impact of radio stations on politics should be analyzed more

to establish a connection to the level of violence against journalists.

2013 ELECTIONS

25The elections held in May this year account for the increase from last years in the number of attacks and threats against journalists and media workers. Of this years incidents, 25 were election-related. Reporters were prevented from helping ensure clean and transparent elections.

The number of election-related attacks and threats this year

is bigger than the total number of alerts from the last two

election years combined. In 2007, the Center for Media Freedom

& Responsibility (CMFR) reported only nine election-related

incidents and only ive in 2010.

This drastic increase could be due to journalists and media

workers being more aware that they have to report press freedom

violations that they witness or experience, even in the face of danger

and the culture of impunity that protects perpetrators of violations.

On the eve of the May 13 elections, the crew of the TV news

program Ronda Balita in Ozamis City, northern Mindanao, was trying to catch a rumored mass vote-buying activity at a seaside village. But

the convoy of then-mayoralty candidate Rolando Romero stopped

them. Romero and his security aides also destroyed the news crews

equipment when the producer tried to interview him. Not content,

Romero allegedly tried to shoot at one cameraman. But when his

pistol misired, the group mauled the media worker instead. The

politicians ally later said Romero had only defended himself.

After election-day, Commission on Elections (COMELEC) oficials

barred reporters from the canvassing of votes in the provinces

of Northern Samar in the Visayas and Aurora in Southern Luzon.

Election oficials in both provinces asked reporters for their COMELEC

accreditations. But the reporters were still barred even when they

complied. When the reporters complained, COMELEC chairman Sixto

Brillantes Jr. advised them to ile a complaint with the police.

CRIMINAL LIBEL CHARGES

11Libel charges also present a danger to journalists and media workers reporting campaigns and elections. There were 11 cases of libel in 2013. Four libel suits were iled this year against radio anchors and commentators for their coverage of the local elections

in their areas. But libel is a constant threat. Five more were iled

against other journalists and media workers for their coverage

of corruption and other illegal activities. There were also two

journalists convicted this year for libel complaints iled years ago.

Philippine law criminalizes libel, imposing a ine, up to six years

imprisonment, or both, on those found guilty. It has been used to

threaten, restrain and harass journalists and media workers.

Libel on World Press Freedom Day

On May 3, Friday, right on World Press Freedom Day, Police Director

Supt. Reynaldo Maclang barged into a radio booth in Dipolog City,

Zamboanga del Norte, and arrested blocktimer Rodolfo Maxbans

Tanquis for libel, without a complaint iled or even an arrest warrant.

Tanquis was detained until a libel case was iled against him on

a Saturday. Curiously, the Ofice of the City Prosecutor was open on

a weekend. Rodolfo posted PHP10,000 bail and went into hiding.

CMFRs Appeal

On May 6, CMFR wrote the Secretary of Interior and Local

Government, Manuel Mar Roxas II, urging him to take the

necessary action against the police directors warrantless arrest

of the blocktimer. Roxas sent a reply dated May 9 saying he had

asked Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General (DG) Alan

Purisima to cause an exhaustive, fair and objective investigation of

the incident by an independent fact-inding team.

BY THE NUMBERS: ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAINST THE PRESS

Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility 2013 MEDIA TIMES | 71

In a separate letter, 18 members of the global free expression

network IFEX urged President Benigno Aquino III to ile the

necessary charges against Maclang. The President, through his

executive secretary replied on May 17 saying steps have already

been taken by the Department of Interior and Local Government

(DILG) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to address the concerns.

DILGs assurances and the media freedom advocates pleas

went sadly unheeded. Tanquis enemies werent through with

him. On May 31, unidentiied individuals ired gunshots at his

house and the radio station where he worked. Tanquis was not

at home when it happened, but his family was. No one was hurt.

Just ive days later, on June 5, his house was ired at again.

Dangerous Precedent

However, the response from the Ofice of the City Prosecutor in

Dipolog City was contrary to both the prompt promises from the

DILG and the President. In a reply to the copy of the appeal sent

by the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression to the DOJ Action

Center, the Dipolog City prosecutor argued that the warrantless

arrest of the blocktimer for libel was valid under the Philippines

Rules of Criminal Procedure.

The arrest without warrant. . .was validly made as (Tanquis)

was caught in lagrante (caught while committing the crime) by

Supt. Reynaldo Maclang. . .probable cause exist (sic) to indict

(Tanquis) for the crime of Libel and he is probably guilty thereof,

hence, an information for Libel was iled against him now

pending trial, the City Prosecutors letter said.

Asked to comment, Prima Quinsayas, legal counsel for the

Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists Inc. (FFFJ), said that

the City Prosecutors interpretation of the law borders on the

absurd and, if left unchallenged, may set a dangerous precedent

implying that the arresting oficer could bypass the investigative

prosecutor or judge in deining what libel is.

In July, Tanquis told CMFR that his lawyer, Reinaldo Ramas, had iled

a motion for the criminal charge to be dropped. The City Prosecutor

asked for 15 days to review the motion. In September, Ramas told

CMFR that the motion was denied. The trial for libel will push through.

For Conducting an Interview

As libel charges weighed down on Tanquis, another radio broadcaster

in the next province was also being sued for libel. This time, it was not

for statements deemed libelous by the complainants. A mere interview

conducted on his program had caused Lito Pedrano a libel suit.

Radio anchor Lito Pedrano sent a message to CMFR via

Facebook last June asking for help. Zamboanga del Sur governor

Antonio Cerilles had iled a libel complaint against an election

opponent, implicating Pedrano for using his (Pedranos) radio

program in airing (my opponents) libelous remarks.

In April 17, Pedrano had interviewed then mayoralty candidate

Ruel Balong Molina, Cerilles opponent, about the ambush

killing of Molinas 22-year old niece on April 16.

In the transcript of the interview attached to the subpoena

as evidence, Molina alleged that Cerilles and Cerilles wife,

former Zambaonga del Sur governor and now congresswoman

Aurora Enerio-Cerilles, had without doubt the motive to

carry out the ambush.

I said we should wait for the results of the investigation (on

the ambush) and that we are open for Cerilles to air his side.

Cerilles staff said they would address Molinas allegations

through their own radio stations and blocktime programs,

Pedrano told CMFR last June 25.

He scrambled to get a lawyer to help write the counter-afidavit

that he needed to ile 15 days after he was served the complaint.

Otherwise, he would have had to concede to the facts presented

in the governors libel complaint.

Pedrano was able to submit the counter-afidavit after being

granted an extension from the Pagadian City prosecutor. But he

still did not have a lawyer to defend him if the case goes to trial.

THE KILLINGS

8If journalists were not silenced with criminal libel complaints, they were being silenced with guns. Ten journalists and media workers were killed this year, eight in the line of duty. This brings the total of work-related media killings in the Philippines to 137 since 1986. In the three-

year administration of Benigno S. Aquino III, 19 have been killed.

The modus operandi in the eight killings is almost always the

same; a gunman riding tandem on an unlicensed motorcycle.

There are exceptions, one assailant was on foot and in another

case, there were two gunmen.

Edgardo Egay Adajar

Edgardo Egay Adajar anchored a government-supported

blocktime radio program in San Pablo City, Laguna. He was also

a city councilor. He was supposed to run again for ofice this last

election but he was murdered right at the beginning of the year.

On January 2, Adajar and his bodyguard, Leonardo Ronaldo, were

shot in front of a cockpit in the village of Concepcion. They were

walking back to their vehicle when they were attacked. The gunman

escaped on an unregistered motorcycle with a companion.

Adajar and Ronaldo were brought to a hospital nearby. Adajar, with

a gunshot wound in the head and right thigh, was dead on arrival.

Ronaldo, who also sustained a gunshot wound in the head, died later

without providing any information on the identity of the killer.

Adajar, according to his colleagues and the police, regularly

criticized various people on radio, among them his political

opponents; individuals alleged to be involved in illegal gambling

(or misuse of funds sourced from the small-town lottery); and

allegedly corrupt policemen involved in the illegal-drug trade.

On Dec. 29, 2012, Adajar reported a death threat to the police,

when then mayoralty candidate Hizon Arago allegedly threatened

Adajar while both were attending a seminar.

Cartographic sketches of the gunman and his accomplice have

been distributed. PHP800,000 was offered to anyone who can

provide information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators. But

no one has been arrested to date.

FFFJ was founded in 2003 to assist in the prosecution of the killers of journalists and to provide humanitarian assistance to the families of slain journalists and media workers. It is composed of CMFR, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), PCIJ, and the Philippine Press Institute. CMFR serves as its technical and administrative secretariat.

72 | MEDIA TIMES 2013 Center for Media Freedom & Responsibility

Miguelito Mike Rueras

Miguelito Mike Rueras reported for a Cebu radio station from

Pio V. Corpuz, a partly Cebuano-speaking town in Masbate. But

he stopped during the elections to support and volunteer for a

gubernatorial candidate.

On June 2, Sunday morning, Rueras was shot dead in his store.

He was with a friend who happened to be a police oficer a few

moments before the shooting. But the policeman left for a while

to secure people leaving a nearby church.

Ruerass family recalled that unidentiied men had been

looking for Rueras three days before the killing, Senior Inspector

Rodel Arevalo told CMFR, but the family thought they were just

friends of Rueras.

In August, the police told CMFR that the suspected gunman

had been found murdered in the nearby town of Esperanza. A

witness identiied the suspect only by looking at a photo of the

suspects corpse.

Bonifacio Loreto Jr. & Richard Kho

Bonifacio Loreto Jr. and Richard Kho were columnists for Aksyon Ngayon, a tabloid that had had only one issue. Loreto, who had other businesses and was relatively new in the media, was also

its publisher. According to Loretos common-law wife, Nora, the

men were already planning to rent an ofice and to release a

second issue.

Late at night on July 31, Loreto and Kho were standing in front

of Loretos small store in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City.

They were with Loretos store aide when two men on a motorcycle

shot them. In TV interviews, the store aide said he survived the

shooting by pretending to be dead. He has since gone back to the

province, his location unknown according to Nora.

The police initially said that the killing was probably not

related to the victims work. But Nora, as well as Loretos mother,

insisted that if Loreto had just heeded their warning not to get

involved in the media, he would still be alive.

CMFR has yet to contact Khos family. But in TV interviews,

Khos daughter, Richelle, also said that the murder was work-

related.

On August 13, the police iled charges against Clemente Bersoza

and Roel Manaog for the murder. Witnesses identiied the suspects,

police said, after going through the mug iles of people with criminal

records. Senior police oficer Pascual Fabreag, case investigator, told

CMFR last August 16 that the police have yet to establish the motive

for the killing since the suspects have not been apprehended.

Mario Sy

Mario Sy was a freelance photographer and photojournalist

in General Santos City, South Cotabato. He contributed to the

tabloid newspaper Sapol News Bulletin.On August 1, less than 48 hours after the last media killing, Sy,

who was watching TV, was shot dead inside his home, in front of his

teenage daughter. The gunman left the scene and walked away.

Sys family and colleagues believe Sy was killed because he was

vocal against the proliferation of illegal drugs in his community.

Sapols publisher John Paul Jubelag told CMFR on August 2 that Sy had contributed a photo report of a drug-related killing

sometime in January or February this year.

Sy is the second Sapol contributor and the fourth tabloid newspaper worker to be killed in General Santos City since 2010.

Fernando Nanding Solijon

Fernando Nanding Solijon was a radio commentator in Iligan

City, Lanao del Norte. He hosted the program Sandiganan, which aired weekday mornings on a local FM station.

In Solijons broadcast on August 29, which aired several hours

before he was killed, a caller cursed Solijon on air. Solijon also

read on air a death threat sent to him via text, according to his

technician. The text message read, Your cofins already made.

Later that day, at around 10:30 p.m., Solijon was shot dead. He

was about to head home after some beer and dinner with colleagues

when two men riding a motorcycle gunned him down. One of the

gunmen threatened to shoot a colleague who tried to interfere.

It was really work-related, case investigator Senior Police

Oficer Melvin Denore told CMFR one day after the killing. He

was a famous commentator talking about politics. Thats not a

safe thing (to do) here in Mindanao.

Over half-a-million pesos was offered to anyone who could

give information leading to the arrest of the suspects.

Vergel Bico

Vergel Bico was an editor and publisher of Kalahi newspaper in Calapan City, Mindoro.

In the afternoon of September 4, Bico was riding his motorcycle

in Barangay Pachoca, when an unidentiied man riding tandem

on a motorcycle, shot him twice in the head.

Calapan City Police Chief Inspector DArtagnan Katalbas Jr.

told CMFR on September 5 that the motive might be a personal

grudge, although they are still considering the possibility that it

is related to his work as a journalist.

Ronald Bula, publisher of Bandera Pilipino where Bico was a columnist, said that Bico last wrote a column in December 2012

and the subjects he usually discussed were those related to

illegal gambling.

Bula said Bico told him he had received several threats before

from some government oficials and other subjects of his columns.

Jesus Jessie Tabanao

Jessie Tabanao hosted the programs Police Line Up and Drug Watch that aired weekends on dyRC Cebu 648. At the same time, he worked as information oficer for the Philippine Drug

Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Region VII.

Just before midnight, on September 14, an unidentiied

man shot Tabanao and took off on a motorcycle. Tabanao was

supposed to be on his way to fetch his wife, Katrina. Katrina, who

was eight months pregnant, was out celebrating a friends win

as Miss Press Freedom, part of the citys Press Freedom Week

annual celebration every September.

Tabanaos colleagues condemn in the strongest terms the

senseless and brutal killing. A statement from the Manila

Broadcasting Company and Cebu Broadcasting Company, parent

companies of dyRC, said that it is ironic that (Tabanao) was

killed while Cebu is celebrating Broadcasters Month and a few

hours before the opening of the Press Freedom Week (in the

city).

BY THE NUMBERS: ATTACKS AND THREATS AGAINST THE PRESS

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