Two journalists attacked after filing complaint against politician
CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Two journalists from Cagayan de Oro survived an attack a few days after they filed a complaint against a local politician for allegedly mauling them a day before the May 10 elections. Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental is approximately 789.04 km from Manila.
The two journalists, father and son Herbert Hugo and Hubert Dumaguing, were walking with four companions in the evening of 24 June 2010 when a dark blue car passed them and the driver or a passenger fired three shots at them.
In an interview with the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility last 25 June 2010, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Media Safety Coordinator JB Deveza explained that it was unclear if the gunman fired at random or intended to kill the Dumaguings. Neither father nor son was able to get the car’s plate number or identify the gunman.
The Dumaguings have already filed a police report in Cagayan de Oro City regarding the incident, Deveza said.
A report on local television network, ABS-CBN News Channel, on 25 June 2010 quoted the Dumaguings  as linking the gunman with a local politician.
On 10 June 2010, four journalists, namely the two Dumaguings, Alphyn Cabanog, and Algin Lobino, had filed a criminal complaint against Gov. Jurdin Jesus “JJ” Romualdo and Catarman town mayor-elect Nestor Jacot, accusing the governor of illegal detention, grave threats, robbery and violation of the total gun ban during election period. Catarman, Camiguin is approximately 729.69 km from Manila.
On 9 May 2010, the four journalists who were members of RR Productions’ television news team that contracts airtime local cable channel Parasat Cable TV Channel 13, were in Barangay Tangaro in Catarman town to get video footage prior to the elections when they chanced upon supporters of Mayor Jacot handing out envelopes supposedly containing money.
Soon after they were noticed, the mayor’s supporters confiscated their equipment and mauled them, local reports said.
The four were among the six media workers who immediately sought refuge in the house of Catarman outgoing Mayor Jose Antonio Gabucan after Gov. Romualdo and his men allegedly attacked them. Together with Jinggoy Abanil of Gold Star Daily and Rene Abris of Azilam Review, they managed to make it home safely after two days when colleagues in the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines pressed authorities to take them out of Camiguin.
Local media had earlier reported that a seventh journalist, Roland Bruno, went missing after reporting the incident the same day to the local police. Local reports quoted the elder Dumaguing as stating that Gov. Romualdo’s supporters had accosted Bruno in search of Abris. Bruno made it home the next day.
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