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Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Sayyaf threatens to kill Zambo broadcaster
By Al Jacinto
ZAMBOANGA -- The Abu Sayyaf on Tuesday threatened to kill a popular radio broadcaster in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines, accusing him of continuously criticizing the terror group linked to the spate of bombings and murders in the troubled region.
"If Mr. Vic Alvarez will not stop his recorded tape, saying...good morning Abu Sayyaf, our serious threat to him still goes on until the right time we can have a good timing to kill him just downstairs of (your) radio station," said Abu Omar, a self-confessed spokesman of the Abu Sayyaf group
"It will become a headline, ASG assassinate (sic) the hard-hitting anchorman of RGMA," warned Omar in a cell phone text message sent to the morning public service program of the radio network owned by television giant GMA 7.
Alvarez's daily public affairs program "Good Morning Zamboanga" often starts with the journalist greeting criminals, drug syndicates, thieves and corrupt government officials, including the Abu Sayyaf, but the terror group resented this.
"I am not discounting this threat to my life," said Alvarez, who is also the radio station's news chief.
Last year, the Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFJ) reported that Omar also threatened to kill Alvarez and other local journalists and government officials critical of the Abu Sayyaf group.
In a letter sent in November to local radio stations, the Abu Sayyaf said it dispatched liquidation squads to carry out the killings. Omar's letter was the seventh mailed to RGMA and other local media outlets, according to CMFJ.
It said Omar, the source of the letter, admitted they were conducting surveillance on their targets. Alvarez, a staunch advocate of press freedom, topped the hit list.
The Abu Sayyaf previously admitted killing local broadcaster Rey Bancayrin, of radio station dxLL, in March 1998. Two gunmen entered the studio and shot the outspoken commentator three times before escaping. It was thought that Bancayrin was murdered because of his reporting on local government corruption and drug trafficking.
Last month, Omar also sent a text message to RGMA warning of more bomb attacks in Zamboanga City and Basilan Island. The warning came just two days after an Abu Sayyaf bomb exploded March 27 inside a two-storey convenience store in Jolo island, killing 9 people.
"The next bombings will be in Zamboanga City and Basilan," said Omar.
The Abu Sayyaf is on a US list of terrorist organizations and Washington has offered as much as $10 million bounty for the capture of group chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani and other known leaders. (Sunnex)
(April 19, 2006 issue)
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