Radio Journalists Assassinated in 2022

The Philippines is a dangerous place for journalists. That is simply a fact. 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/29/21/ph-still-7th-most-dangerous-country-for-journalists

The Philippines is still the 7th most dangerous country for journalists worldwide, as several murders involving media workers remained unsolved, a report showed. 

The country retained its rank last year, when it was based on the Global Impunity Index 2021 released by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Thursday. 

Meanwhile, CPJ noted that the Philippines still has 13 unsolved murders involving journalists. The index covers the period September 1, 2011, to August 31, 2021.

In fact, former President Duterte is on record advocating the slaying of "corrupt" journalists. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/788543/duterte-endorses-killing-corrupt-journalists

“Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a bitch,” Duterte said when asked how he would address the problem of media killings in the Philippines after a reporter was shot dead in Manila last week.

The Philippines is one of the most dangerous nations in the world for journalists, with 174 murdered since a chaotic and corruption-plagued democracy replaced the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos three decades ago.

“Most of those killed, to be frank, have done something. You won’t be killed if you don’t do anything wrong,” Duterte said, adding that many journalists in the Philippines were corrupt.

Duterte also said freedom of expression provisions in the constitution did not necessarily protect a person from violent repercussions for defamation.

“That can’t be just freedom of speech. The constitution can no longer help you if you disrespect a person,” he said.

Duterte raised the case of Jun Pala, a journalist and politician who was murdered in Davao in 2003. Gunmen on a motorcycle shot dead Pala, who was a vocal critic of Duterte. His murder has never been solved.

“If you are an upright journalist, nothing will happen to you,” said Duterte, who has ruled Davao as mayor for most of the past two decades and is accused of links to vigilante death squads.

“The example here is Pala. I do not want to diminish his memory but he was a rotten son of a bitch. He deserved it.”

This is all background for the recent  assassination of a radio broadcaster by the name of Percy Lapid. This man was an outspoken critic of both Marcos and Duterte. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1675176/presidents-were-fair-game-for-slain-radioman-vlogger

The Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation are separately investigating the killing of a radio broadcaster and vlogger who was known for his sharp criticisms of former President Rodrigo Duterte and the policies and officials under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., officials said on Tuesday.

Percival Mabasa, popularly known as Percy Lapid, had been critical of “red-tagging” as well as online gambling operations and misinformation about the martial law regime of Marcos’ late father and namesake, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

The popular commentator, who had 215,000 YouTube subscribers and 45,000 Facebook followers, became a strong voice of dissent on social media platforms dominated by pro-Duterte and pro-Marcos vloggers.

Mabasa had supported the presidential campaign of former Vice President Leni Robredo and called the Marcos and Duterte families traitors.

He once called Marcos “Pres. Bonget” and criticized the hasty approval of the budget of the Office of the President and the appointment of the now resigned Victor Rodriguez as executive secretary. But in his recent shows, he had been warning the president about alleged attempts by Duterte’s camp to take him down.

According to the Southern Police District, Mabasa was shot twice to the head inside his car at the gate of BF Resort Village in Las Piñas City as he was driving home around 8:30 p.m. on Monday. 

I am not going to speculate on the motive or the possible mastermind behind this assassination. Likely this murder will remain unsolved despite the CCTV footage because the PNP are notoriously incompetent fools. This has not stopped others from making outrageous statements such as this tweeter:

https://twitter.com/Jas4uuuu/status/1577331463988850688

is Precy a sacrificial lamb that's meant to ignite an uprising? Parang ginawa kay Ninoy.

Those culprits will do everything to destroy this admin, people must stay vigilant

It is just as disgusting to blame Bongbong Marcos for this man's death as it is to suggest that anti-Marcos elements killed him in an attempt to ignite an uprising to destroy his administration. In fact it is simply ludicrous! This tweeter is likely unaware of Duterte's contempt for the press and the fact that this is not the first radio broadcaster to be assassinated in 2022.

The first radio broadcaster to be assassinated this year was killed in January. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1165195

A hard-hitting radio commentator who is seeking an elective post in a nearby town was shot dead here by riding in tandem gunmen Wednesday morning.

Jaynard Angeles, 36, of Barangay Matiompong, Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat, former station manager of Radyo ni Juan FM station and radio commentator, died from a gunshot wound in the head, the police said.

Allan Freno, Tacurong information officer, said Angeles had resigned from Radyo ni Juan FM to run for councilor in his hometown of Lambayong.

Angeles is running under the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas.

Radio DXOM in Koronadal City reported that Angeles was waiting for his car in front of a car repair shop in Barangay New Carmen when two men, riding tandem on a motorbike, arrived. One of them shot Angeles at close range.

He instantly died from a bullet wound in the head.

At the time of his death, Angeles still worked at Radyo ni Juan-Tacurong though as a radio commentator or blocktimer.

Police probers are still trying to determine if the shooting was related to his work as a radio broadcaster or as a political aspirant.

The shooting came on the fourth day of the strict implementation of the nationwide election gun ban.

The second radio broadcaster assassinated this year was killed in April.

https://www.benarnews.org/english/news/philippine/broadcaster-killed-04182022150944.html

A hard-hitting radio broadcaster was killed by unknown gunmen in the southern Philippines on Good Friday as the air waves were shut down for Holy Week, police said Monday.  

If the killing of Jhannah Villegas, 38, in Maguindanao province turns out to be related to her work, she would be the 24th Philippine journalist to be killed since President Rodrigo Duterte came to power in 2016. 

Villegas may have made some enemies because of her work, provincial police spokesman Capt. Fayed Cana told BenarNews.

“Her death could be related to her work,” said Cana, adding that investigators have asked local leaders to help identify those responsible. 

Villegas was attacked at her home on Friday in Datu Anggal Midtimbang town by three unknown armed men who shot her at close range, Cana said. She was rushed to a hospital where she was declared dead on arrival. 

Villegas worked as a reporter for community newspaper Sagad and Bugso as well as a “block timer” broadcaster for Radyo Ukay in Kidapawan city, North Cotabato province and Energy FM 106.7 radio in Manila. A block timer is an independent journalist or broadcast producer who buys airtime to air programs on radio or television. 

Villegas was known as a critic of local officials, friends and colleagues said. She also headed Mindanao Balita, an online news blog covering local political events across the region.

Saudi Akmad, the victim’s husband, said his wife had received a death threat on Thursday night, hours before she was killed.  

The third radio broadcaster assassinated this year was killed in June.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/06/30/2191905/cagayan-de-oro-radio-broadcaster-shot-dead

Two motorcycle-riding masked gunmen shot dead a radio commentator in front of his house in Macanhan, Carmen here yesterday.

Federico “Ding” Gempesaw, 63, had just stepped out of his car, which he used as a taxi, when one of the assailants fired at him at close range, according to a police report.

Gempesaw, a hard-hitting commentator, hosted the block time program “Bitayan sa kahanginan” daily over local broadcaster Radyo Natin.

A witness told investigators that although wounded, the victim wrestled with one of the suspects before a second bullet hit him in the head.

Gempesaw died at the scene.

Gempesaw was a retired city hall official before he joined the local media as a radio commentator.

The fourth radio broadcaster assassinated this year was killed in September. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2022/09/19/2210786/broadcaster-stabbed-dead-negros-oriental

Police in Negros Oriental have taken custody of the suspect in the killing of Renato "Rey" Blanco, a broadcaster who was stabbed to death on Sunday night.

In an advisory, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said early police reports found that Blanco, a resident of Bais City and a radio broadcaster for Power 102.1 DYRY RFM in Mabinay town, Negros Oriental, was visiting the house of a certain Wilbert Amada in Barangay Himocdongan in the same town when he was stabbed.

In a Facebook post, Power 102.1 expressed condolences to Blanco's family and friends and said that his death does not mean the end of his advocacy of defending people who are being abused, especially the poor.

The radio station added: "Walang demokrasya kung walang independiyenteng media. Kung patahimikin mo ang mga mamamahayag, pinatahimik mo ang boses ng demokrasya." 

(There is no democracy without an independent media. If you silence a journalist, you are silencing the voice of democracy)

Charles Amada, Wilbert's brother and the suspect in the case, is being detained at the Mabinay Police Station.

In a separate statement sent to reporters, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security said that while it is still too early to determine the exact motive behind the incident, it will presume the killing to be "work related" as a matter of policy.

A week after Percy Lapid was assassinated a radio broadcaster was assaulted outside his place of work.

https://mb.com.ph/2022/10/07/radio-commentator-attacked-in-iloilo/

A radio commentator was attacked by three unidentified men after his radio program here on Friday, Oct. 7.

Florencio “Flo” Hervias was about to board his motorcycle when the suspects wearing masks ganged up on him outside the RMN-Iloilo radio station in La Paz District before 11 a.m.

The victim sustained facial injuries and was wounded by the broken visor he was wearing.

The helmet he was wearing saved him from further harm.

“They were aiming for my head. It was good I already had my helmet,” Hervias told Manila Bulletin in a phone interview.

He was accompanied by Roy Cejar, a colleague in a block-time program known as “Banwa, Binag-Binaga.”

When asked if he had anyone in mind behind his attack, Hervias said an elected official here but he did not identify him.

Hervias said that the attack may be linked to the renovation of several public markets in this city.

As you can see the assassination of radio journalists is a regular occurrence every few months. In some cases their deaths are never solved. It is too easy and also wrong to blame the President or any one politician for these killings. The problem is the culture. The Philippines has a culture that is very much focused on revenge. It is seen every day in the number of frivolous lawsuits filed by those who wish to retaliate against their enemies. 

50. They are revengeful to an excessive degree—so much so that they are vile and cowardly; and the ministers have great trouble in reconciling them with their enemies; and although they do it through fear, it is never with the whole heart, for this passion has great influence over them. 

https://philippinefails.blogspot.com/2017/07/filipino-character-has-not-changed-in.html 

In the Philippines politics is a dirty game and a free for all. Journalists are caught up in that mess especially if they criticize a politician. These killings will not end soon without a cultural shift where freedom of the press is respected by all not just in word but in deed.