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Monday, May 12, 2003
Media groups file measures, call on resolution of mediaman slay
By Lizanila J. Amarga
MORE media outfits are condemning the arrests of two local journalists and called for the decriminalization of libel.
The call came even as the local media join their counterparts nationwide in counting down the days to Edgar Damalerio, a media practitioner in Pagadian City who was killed for exposing the truth.
Damalerio was killed near the Pagadian City Hall and police headquarters on May 8 last year.
Last Saturday the Philippine National Police Press Corps Region 10 (PNP Press Corps-10) passed three resolutions to ensure that violations against media practitioners won't occur again.
These resolutions are set to be submitted to the Senate and Lower House for proper action along with a resolution from the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) and other media groups.
The PNP-10 Press Corps has more than 100 members and has earlier voted its new set of officers for 2003 at the Philippine Information Office as supervised by PNP-10 information officer Sen. Supt. Manuel Lluisma.
Earlier, statements were issued by the local Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas (KBP) led by Roy Villaro and National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) Davao Chapter coordinator Carlos Conde, among others.
Highest degree
The first PNP Press Corps-Region 10 resolution slammed last Wednesday the arrest and detention of Gold Star Daily (GSD) executive editor Herbie Gomez and Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro photojournalist Joey Nacalaban.
"It was purely harassment on media practitioners," remarked PNP Press Corps president and dxIF Bombo Radyo assistant station manager Michael Bustamante in their meeting at Max Fried Chicken Restaurant Saturday.
PNP Press Corps vice president for broadcast Tony Glema said the arrest and detention of Gomez and Nacalaban should be condemned to the "highest degree." Glema is also with the Radio Mindanao Network TV-8.
The group also passed a resolution urging the Senate and Lower House to immediately have libel decriminalized.
They said they are still determined to have this law reduced to a civil offense despite Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.'s explanation that among the reasons behind the blocking of the decriminalization of libel is that warlords may just resort to killing journalists rather than go to court.
Uriel Quilinguing, editor in chief of the weekly Golden Chronicle, said he still supports the reduction of libel to to a civil offense adding that what media outfits fear more is the offended party collecting damages.
"Dili man kaayo kita mahadlok anang mapriso pero kana man ang sa pag-collecta sa damages kay diha masuko ang mga publisher iya (We are not so afraid of being placed behind bars but on the collection of damages as this is where the publishers get angry)," this PNP Press Corps-10 director said.
Discretion
Hikap weekly journalist Fred Anobling said this is being practiced by warlords these days and decriminalizing libel won't make them change their minds.
PNP press corp director and dxIF Bombo Radyo reporter Mark Martirez said being charged with libel is part of the risks of being in media.
"Kung ilang ipapatay or mokiha sila discretion na kana sa aggrieved party (If they will have us killed or charged in court it is the discretion of the aggrieved party)," he said.
The third resolution was in support to the countdown campaign set by several other media groups in the manhunt against the police officer who killed Damalerio.
PNP Press Corps-10 director Joe Felicilda said the reported trigger man PO1 Guillermo Wapile should immediately be found and that his escape from his cell in Pagadian City be investigated.
"It is already more than 362 days and there is no report as to the whereabouts of Wapile...we cannot do nothing and let the killer of our colleague be lawfully punished," he said.
Felicilda is a hard-hitting radio commentator from the Manila Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).
Other media groups who have launched or joined in the Damalerio countdown campaign include the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR); Center for Community Journalism and Development (CCJD), Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP-Association of Broadcasters in the Philippines); Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ); Philippine Press Institute (PPI), Ermin Garcia, Jr., publisher, Sunday Punch and Danilo Gozo, publisher, Philippine News.
According to the CMFR, Damalerio was the 35th journalist killed in the country in the line of duty since democracy was restored in 1986.
PO1 Wapile, the primary suspect in the killing, escaped from police custody Jan. 28. Until now he is still at large.
(May 12, 2003 issue)
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