A 'death squad for media'?
Posted by unang apluma on Monday, October 11, 2010
Under: news
BY ISMAEL AMIGO
1ST-APLUMA NATIONAL PRESIDENT
FOR sure, we might as well be kissing Press Freedom here in our country under P-Noy goodbye.
Dig this. Only recently while I was browsing the Internet, I chanced upon an article that should be cause for alarm for us media practitioners, especially those based in Mindanao.
An article from the website of an AM radio station said that a “death squad for media” is threatening media practitioners in Cotabato City.
Hey....! President Noy...! Are you there....there...ther...the...thrrr...!
The report said some media members in Cotabato City are receiving death threats through text messages and phone calls from members of the alleged death squad.
Among those who received threats were Director Ali Macabalang of BPI-ARMM, Noel Punzalan of the Philippines News Agency, Nash Maulana of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and other reporters from Bombo Radyo and Manila Bulletin.
The threats came after some Mindanao-based journalists began tackling some sensitive issues, including the controversial Maguindanao massacre where 57 people, including 30 media members, were brutally killed allegedly by members of the Ampatuan family.
Our group now calls on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to seriously look into the matter as putting it in the backburner would be another Maguindanao massacre in the making.
We believe that this threat is designed to silence the media on the issues regarding the massacre, especially now that the trial of the multiple murder cases against the Ampatuan has begun.
-000-
LAST week, our website (http://1st-apluma.yolasite.com) started a section called "P-NOY CHRONICLES" where we highlight President Aquino's hits and misses during his administration.
For those who cannot access our webpage, we will put here the initial list of achievements and failures of P-Noy’s young government.
1. MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1 RECALL (JULY 1, 2010)
-- Talk about starting a six-year term on the wrong foot. The first order that came out of Malacanang Palace created a loud bang but ended with a whimper after it was recalled for fine-tuning as it would greatly affect the function of the bureaucracy.
2. BRO. ARMIN LUISTRO'S BOO-BOO (JULY 5, 2010)
-- What a way for Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro to start his government service. On his first day at work, Luistro blasted the media for creating a big issue out of the planned sex education program for elementary students. Luistro’s move prompted the Palace to arrange media seminar for its Cabinet members so as not to strain the government’s relation with the press.
3. MANILA HOSTAGE CRISIS (AUG. 23, 2010)
-- The hostage taking of more than 20 tourists from Hong Kong by a disgruntled policeman was a major acid test for his administration where he could show the world what stuff he's made of as a leader.
4. FIRST FOREIGN VISIT (UNITED STATES FROM SEPT. 20 TO 27)
-- President Aquino had been given a chance to redeem himself from the negative effects of the Manila hostage drama during his first foreign visit as President of the Philippines to the UN General Assembly in New York.
5. PRESIDENT AQUINO'S 100 DAYS IN OFFICE (Oct. 7, 2010)
During his speech at the La Consolacion College in Manila, President Aquino has cited the following as the biggest accomplishments of his 100-day old government, including a stronger economy with a stronger peso and Gross International Reserves at all-time high of $52.3 billion on September 20.
1ST-APLUMA NATIONAL PRESIDENT
FOR sure, we might as well be kissing Press Freedom here in our country under P-Noy goodbye.
Dig this. Only recently while I was browsing the Internet, I chanced upon an article that should be cause for alarm for us media practitioners, especially those based in Mindanao.
An article from the website of an AM radio station said that a “death squad for media” is threatening media practitioners in Cotabato City.
Hey....! President Noy...! Are you there....there...ther...the...thrrr...!
The report said some media members in Cotabato City are receiving death threats through text messages and phone calls from members of the alleged death squad.
Among those who received threats were Director Ali Macabalang of BPI-ARMM, Noel Punzalan of the Philippines News Agency, Nash Maulana of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and other reporters from Bombo Radyo and Manila Bulletin.
The threats came after some Mindanao-based journalists began tackling some sensitive issues, including the controversial Maguindanao massacre where 57 people, including 30 media members, were brutally killed allegedly by members of the Ampatuan family.
Our group now calls on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to seriously look into the matter as putting it in the backburner would be another Maguindanao massacre in the making.
We believe that this threat is designed to silence the media on the issues regarding the massacre, especially now that the trial of the multiple murder cases against the Ampatuan has begun.
-000-
LAST week, our website (http://1st-apluma.yolasite.com) started a section called "P-NOY CHRONICLES" where we highlight President Aquino's hits and misses during his administration.
For those who cannot access our webpage, we will put here the initial list of achievements and failures of P-Noy’s young government.
1. MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 1 RECALL (JULY 1, 2010)
-- Talk about starting a six-year term on the wrong foot. The first order that came out of Malacanang Palace created a loud bang but ended with a whimper after it was recalled for fine-tuning as it would greatly affect the function of the bureaucracy.
2. BRO. ARMIN LUISTRO'S BOO-BOO (JULY 5, 2010)
-- What a way for Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro to start his government service. On his first day at work, Luistro blasted the media for creating a big issue out of the planned sex education program for elementary students. Luistro’s move prompted the Palace to arrange media seminar for its Cabinet members so as not to strain the government’s relation with the press.
3. MANILA HOSTAGE CRISIS (AUG. 23, 2010)
-- The hostage taking of more than 20 tourists from Hong Kong by a disgruntled policeman was a major acid test for his administration where he could show the world what stuff he's made of as a leader.
4. FIRST FOREIGN VISIT (UNITED STATES FROM SEPT. 20 TO 27)
-- President Aquino had been given a chance to redeem himself from the negative effects of the Manila hostage drama during his first foreign visit as President of the Philippines to the UN General Assembly in New York.
5. PRESIDENT AQUINO'S 100 DAYS IN OFFICE (Oct. 7, 2010)
During his speech at the La Consolacion College in Manila, President Aquino has cited the following as the biggest accomplishments of his 100-day old government, including a stronger economy with a stronger peso and Gross International Reserves at all-time high of $52.3 billion on September 20.
In : news