Friday, November 07, 2008 Journalists demand disciplinary action vs abusive colonel By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE National Union of Journalists of the Philippine (NUJP) has demanded that disciplinary actions be implemented against Lieutenant Colonel John Oswald Bucu, camp commander of the Army's 6th Infantry Division.
Bucu threatened Loreto Rosario, a reporter of radio dxMS of the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation in Cotabato City, while he was covering the fire that razed the unit's ammunition depot last October 31.
The military, meanwhile, urged the NUJP to file a formal complaint against the said military official so that it can be included in the ongoing investigation of the 6th ID.
In a statement, NUJP said Rosario was merely carrying out his duties as a journalist while covering the fire at the military camp and had properly identified himself by showing the officer his identification card.
"Surely, Bucu, if he was paying any attention at all, would have known that Rosario has been covering the division for years and could not, therefore, be an "intruder" with no business covering the fire. But this supposed "officer and gentleman" went on to confiscate Rosario's identification card and cellular phone and also told the reporter, "If it were not for me, my men would have shot you." NUJP said.
The media group said Bucu "is clearly a disgrace to the uniform he wears".
"Even more disturbing, however, he is clear proof of the culture of impunity that has thrived in this country because of official inaction, even apathy, towards continued attacks on media. We understand Ando has apologized for the incident. Which speaks well of Ando but highlights the utter arrogance of Bucu. The only conclusion we can draw is that Bucu thinks he can get away with what he did, just as many of the brains behind the scores of unsolved media murders do," the group said.
NUJP urged the AFP to impose sanctions on Bucu as he deserves it because of his "clear assault on press freedom".
"Failure to do so will only reinforce the perception that there is, at best, tacit official approval of attempts to silence the media," the NUJP statement said.
Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman Major Randolph Cabangbang meanwhile assured the NUJP that the 6th ID command is already conducting its own investigation on the incident.
He said though that the investigation is based merely on newspaper reports since no formal complaints have been lodged before the military command.
"Kaya I suggest for the NUJP to file a formal complaint before a formal investigation can be conducted. Although 6th ID is currently conducting its own inquiry based on news reports," Cabangbang said.(BOT)
