Attacks and threats against the media

Community publication executive director threatened

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – An unidentified man bearing a bouquet of flowers and a photo of Eastern Vista newspaper Executive Director Frenchiemae Cumpio visited the office in Tacloban City, Leyte on 31 January 2020. Tacloban is 572 kilometers from Manila. Cumpio told CMFR the unknown visitor was described as “military-looking” by the...

Journalists barred from press briefing in evacuation center

CMFR/PHILIPPINES — Police barred members of the media from an evacuation center for displaced indigenous people in Davao City on 25 January 2020. The media were there to cover a press briefing by human rights groups on an earlier incident involving alleged paramilitaries from Davao del Norte and Bukidnon...

Radio reporter harassed, detained for covering protest

CMFR/PHILIPPINES — A Tagum, Davao-based Radyo ni Juan reporter was detained by police in the municipality of Carmen, Davao del Norte on 21 January 2020. Carmen is 947 kilometers from Manila. Glenn Jester Hitgano told CMFR he was covering the protest of workers from the Philippine Dream Farm Development...

Metro Manila Police district chief takes reporter’s phone, deletes video

CMFR/PHILIPPINES — Metro Manila’s Southern Police District (SPD) Chief took the cellphone of GMA 7 TV reporter Jun Veneracion he was using to video an altercation between police officers and a devotee of the Black Nazarene during the Traslacion on 9 January 2020. The police officer allegedly deleted the...

Tagum-based radio station’s transmitting equipment torched

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Unidentified assailants set on fire equipment in the transmitter house of a radio station in Mindanao on 11 December 2019. The transmitter of 99.9 RPFM is located in the municipality of Mawab, Davao de Oro (formerly Compostela Valley). Mawab is 953.71 km south of Manila. RPFM’s station...

Radyo ni Juan station manager dies

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A radio station manager in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat who was critically wounded by unidentified assailants late October has died in a hospital in Davao City where he was being treated. Davao City is 977.46 kilometers south of Manila. Benjie Abdul Caballero, station manager of Radyo ni Juan,...

Dumaguete radio blocktimer shot dead

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A radio blocktimer was gunned down by unidentified assailants on 7 November 2019 in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. Dumaguete City is 639.71 kilometers south of Manila. Blocktiming is a Philippine practice in which broadcasters buy blocks of time to air sponsored programs. Dindo Generoso of dyEM 96.7...

Community journalist arrested in Bacolod raids

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A community journalist was among the 57 people arrested by police and military operatives during simultaneous raids on the offices of progressive organizations in Bacolod City on October 31 and in Escalante City on November 1. Both cities are in Negros Occidental. Bacolod City, Negros Occidental’s capital,...

Radio station manager injured in shooting attack

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A radio station manager was shot and critically wounded by unidentified assailants in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat on Wednesday, 30 October 2019. Tacurong City is 971.84 kilometers south of Manila. Benjie Abdul Caballero, station manager of Radyo ni Juan, was shot while he was in front of...

Tabloid columnist, companion shot dead in Pampanga

CMFR/ PHILIPPINES – A tabloid columnist was shot dead in Arayat town, Pampanga on 20 October 2019. Arayat is 67 kilometers north of Manila. According to the police report, Jupiter Gonzales, a columnist for the Manila-based tabloid Remate and a member of the National Press Club, was driving his...

Press Freedom Protection