THE Negros Press Club (NPC) and National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)-Bacolod chapter called on the authorities to investigate the strafing incident at the house of local radio broadcaster Rey Siason in Talisay City, Negros Occidental Wednesday night, September 19.
In a press statement, NPC president Renato "Boy" Duran said, “while no one was hurt we believe that the act is despicable and an affront to members of the Fourth Estate. It is also an assault against press freedom.”
NPC condemns in the strongest possible term the attack against Siason, one of the anchormen of Muews Radio, who is also the club’s past president.
The oldest press club in the Philippines joins the call for swift resolution of the case.
"We are calling on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and bring the perpetrators to the bar of justice," the NPC president said.
Read: Radio broadcaster’s house strafed by unknown assailants
A night prior to the incident, two men on board a motorcycle also tailed the vehicle of their production manager Bambi Yngson when the latter dropped him off at his house.
Siason said he started to receive death threats in 2017, adding that "indi na ini insakto, gaubra lang ko ya sang husto.”
He said the incident, which he considers work-related, was “very traumatic” for his family.
Siason said a policeman is detailed at the station starting Thursday night, September 20, for their security after the incident.
Superintendent Boots Aseo, city police chief, said they will continue to investigate the incident to determine the motive and identify the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, the local chapter of NUJP is also calling for a probe on the attack against the said radio broadcaster.
NUJP-Bacolod chair Marchel Espina, in a statement, strongly denounced the threat on the life of Siason.
The group reiterated that an attack on journalists is a threat to democracy.
"We called on the authorities to swiftly investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice,” Espina said.
She also urged her fellow journalists to report to NUJP any threats and attacks for documentation and to call on authorities to investigate any incidents harming the members of the Fourth Estate.
Early this year, former NPC president Ranilo Azue and a broadcaster of Muews Radio was also attacked by several men outside their radio station on February 16.