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Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Rebels won't target journalists: official
AGUSAN DEL NORTE -- A rebel spokesperson assured that the communist rebel movement is not targeting journalists for assassination unless they are in actual armed combat and operations against the New People's Army (NPA).
"There was one time when the NPA killed a journalist in Davao City. We assure you that it will no longer happen for as long as they will not use arms against us," said National Democratic Front (NDF) Mindanao spokesperson Jorge Madlos alias Ka Oris.
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Ka Oris said journalists who are in the payroll of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will also not be targeted for assassination unless they use their firearms against the communist movement.
Seventy-seven journalists have been killed since 1986. The latest of whom was Leonilo Mila, 38, of Radyo Natin (Our Radio) in San Roque, Samar.
Only three of these killings resulted in the apprehension of the suspected assassins and conviction. Also, most of the killings were work-related, involving journalists who are critical of the military and local government officials.
In 1987, armed regulars of the NPA stormed a local radio station in Davao City and fired at the announcer's booth, killing radio commentator Leo Palo and another radio technician. Wounded in the attack was fellow broadcaster Fernando "Batman" Lintuan.
Lintuan was felled by an assassin's bullet, albeit not from the rebels, on December 24, 2007.
The NPA also strafed the building where Bombo Radyo along J.P. Laurel was located, also in Davao City.
While in the early '80s, armed partisans of the NPA in Davao City shot to death print journalist Edgar Nagar.
The international press community repeatedly condemned these killings.
But Ka Oris said indiscriminate attacks against journalists won't happen again.
"In fact, we have not issued any warning against a single journalist over the last ten years," the NDF spokesperson said.
The NDF is the political umbrella of underground organizations that include the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its military wing, the NPA. (Sun.Star Davao/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Baguio. (December 30, 2008 issue)
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