Press Statement
May 31, 2006

Today, colleagues all over the country wear black and gather to silently light candles to remember and honor our dead.

But ours is not the silence of mourning or surrender, but of defiance, and the flames we light our steadfast determination to fend off the darkness descending on our land.

Since 2001, when the power of the people made Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo president, we have already seen 42 journalists murdered, a bloodletting that has far surpassed the combined toll under all her three immediate predecessors.

And lest we forget, this administration, which owes its existence to the supreme will of the people, is the first that has deigned to muzzle the independent Philippine press since the dictator.

Indeed, it is the supreme irony that the democracy we are supposed to have won back in 1986 has claimed more journalists – 79 thus far – than the 34 lost throughout the whole 14-year Marcos dictatorship.

And given this administration’s generally callous disregard both to the killings – not just of our colleagues but of hundreds of dissenters as well – and to the calls for justice and respect for people’s rights and liberties, we are afraid we have not seen the end of this murderous rampage.

But we will not be cowed into mute submission, neither by this government’s indifference nor the dark schemes of those who wish to silence us.

Today, with all our colleagues who join us nationwide, we renew our vow to be the voice of the voiceless, the succor of the dispossessed and the bane of the oppressors.

Our pens, microphones and cameras we consecrate to the cause of restoring the light of freedom and democracy to our benighted land.

Journalists in the following cities and provinces are joining this nationally-coordinated activity:

1. Quezon City – candle lighting at the Boy Scout circle, Timog cor. Morato sts. in Quezon City and wearing of black shirts by journalists, joined by campus journalists and Journalism students of the University of the Philippines

2. Baguio-Benguet – candle lighting in front of Baguio Cathedral grounds

3. Subic-Olongapo – march at 5:30pm from Ulo ng Apo rotunda to Rizal Park where the candle lighting will be held. Joint activity by the NUJP-Subic/Olongapo chapter and the Subic Bay press corps)

4. Albay - candle lighting at 6pm and ringing of Liberty Bell at Peñaranda Park, Legazpi City

5. Lucena - wearing of black shirt the whole day

6. Pampanga - candle lighting and march from Dau, Malabalacat and wearing of black shirts

7. Puerto Princesa - candle lighting near DYPR station where Dong Batul was murdered. Friends and relatives will also have a candle lighting ceremony at the Chancery where Dong BAtul’s remains are. Journalists and Batul’s friends are wearing white shirts with “Justice for Dong Batul” print

8. Rizal – candle lighting at the Freedom Park, Municipal Hall, Angono, Rizal

9. Bacolod – candle lighting in front of the Negros Press Club in Bacolod City

10. Iloilo - candle lighting at Iloilo Provincial Capitol grounds

11. Tacloban - mass at 5pm. Candle lighting in front of the Sto. Niño Church in Tacloban City

12. Davao City – candle lighting at 6pm

13. Pagadian City - discussion on media repression and continued killings of journalists. Freedom wall, Candle lighting at the City Plaza in Pagadian and wearing of black shirts).

14. Ozamiz City – the 79 candles have been divided among radio and television stations in the city and at 6pm, they will be lighted in front of their respective offices. Meanwhile, five minutes will be set aside everyday during morning programs to talk about issue of media killing starting June 1

15. General Santos City - candle lighting at the Rizal monument in front of the General Santos City Hall

16. Tarlac

17. Laguna

18. Ormoc

19. Northern Samar

Cagayan de Oro City – PLANs to hold candle lighting activity within the week.

Palawan broadcaster Fernando “Dong” Batul was gunned down early morning of May 22. He was the 5th journalist killed this year, the 42nd under the Arroyo administration and the 79th since 1986 when press freedom was supposed to have been restored. The hard-hitting journalist known as the “Bastonero ng Palawan” will soon be laid to rest.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) invites all our colleagues in media to join us in bidding Dong Batul goodbye through a candle-lighting ceremony on May 31 at the Boy Scouts Circle (Timog cor. Morato streets, Quezon City) at 6 pm.

We also enjoin our colleagues to wear black t-shirts whole day of May 31 as our way of expressing our grief and outrage at the murder of another journalist.

We say: Enough is enough! Let us cease to be just observers and recorders to the death of democracy. Let us unite and fight back the threats to our lives and liberties.

Media organizations in various parts of the country (including in Baguio, Subic, Iloilo, Lucena, Sorsogon, Albay, Pampanga, Laguna, Bacolod, Tacloban, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Pagadian, General Santos and Ozamis), will also hold simultaneous candle-lighting ceremonies.

PNP identifies 5 jail officers linked to Orsolino murder

NATION
Article posted May 25, 2006, 11:51 am
www.gmanews.tv

Philippine National Police (PNP) officials announced Thursday that at least five jail officers were involved in the murder of photojournalist Albert Orsolino in Caloocan City last week, GMA 7’s DZBB reported.

Task Force Orsolino, a police team created to probe the killing, identified the suspects as Rommel Lirasan, Ramon Rivera, Rolando Manaog, Miguel Nicolas and Atico Edano.

Lirasan acted as the triggerman while Manaog served as a lookout, police claimed.

Police also revealed that Orsolino was a suspect in the killing of a certain Franklin Jr, a friend of the five suspects. The case was later dismissed by a lower court.

The five purportedly vowed to get back at Orsolino before the death anniversary of Franklin Jr.

Orsolino was shot dead in an ambush on May 16 while he was heading for Malacañang, where he was assigned as a photojournalist for the “Saksi Ngayon” tabloid.

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PNP names cop tagged in Palawan journalist’s slay

National (as of 9:17 AM)
www.abs-cbnnews.com

The Philippine National Police named Thursday the officer who was arrested for allegedly killing Palawan broadcaster Fernando Batul on Monday.

“We have in our custody a certain Police Officer 1 Aron Gulifardo,” PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao told a DZMM interview. He said the suspect is in the custody of the PNP regional office in Palawan as of posting time.

Pagdilao confirmed Gulifardo’s arrest less than 12 hours after lawyer Reynaldo Esmeralda of the National Bureau of Investigation said that a policeman was arrested Wednesday night in Puerto Princesa City.

Esmeralda declined to name the suspect during the interview Wednesday. He, however, said the suspect is a policeman.

The arrest came after the PNP and NBI formed a joint task force to hunt down Batul’s killer.

Batul, a radio commentator in Puerto Princesa City, was gunned down on his way to work on Monday.

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Press Statement
May 24, 2006

Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzalez’ confirmation that government is considering arming journalists as a solution to the continued murder of our colleagues proves once and for all that the media community and the citizenry in general can no longer trust this administration to fulfill its sworn mandate to protect and defend us.

It was bad enough when this harebrained suggestion was first broached by the Philippine National Police long before the toll of journalists slain during the first half of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term surpassed both that of the 14-year Marcos dictatorship and the combined record of all three previous presidents.

We rejected it then, we reject it now.

Such a suggestion is nothing but an abject admission that government is either unable or unwilling to protect us.

While we will not dispute the right of citizens, including journalists, to legally arm themselves for self defense, we contend that this is not the solution to the continued murders of our colleagues. We would like to point out that a number of our recently slain colleagues had, in fact, armed themselves, albeit in vain.

Gonzalez goes so far as to ask media to “tell us what they want from the government” to end the killings. Either he is playing dumb or he is clearly unfit for his job.

Nevertheless, we will deign to answer him. The best and only way to end these killings is for authorities to relentlessly pursue arrest, prosecute and convict the killers and their masterminds. Only the surety that the guilty will be punished will dissuade those with murder in their minds.

The bedrock of democracy, indeed, of civilization itself, has ever been free discourse.

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Palace, DOJ differ on arming reporters

National (as of 1:33 AM)
www.abs-cbnnews.com

The government will let journalists carry guns to protect themselves following several recent killings, Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez said Tuesday.

Malacañan, however, begged to differ, saying it would not give journalists applying for gun permits any special treatment.

Gonzalez said the issue of allowing journalists to arm themselves was taken up at a meeting at the palace Tuesday.

“We discussed that earlier and if journalists want to carry firearms, we will allow it so long as they are legitimate,” he said.

But at a press briefing Bunye said, “I’m not sure what actual measures were discussed. We know the standard procedure that the policy of arming civilians should apply equally to all, not just to journalists.”

He challenged the journalists who feel their life is at risk to inform the Philippine National Police.

Bunye called on journalists to acquire the proper training before they take up arms for their self-preservation.

He acknowledged that the rise in media and militant killings in the country has alarmed the administration.

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Article posted May 23, 2006, 9:50 am
wwww.gmanews.tv

The mayor of Dingalan, Aurora, surrendered to a Quezon court a week after immigration agents barred him from leaving the country for the alleged murder of a journalist last year, GMANews.TV learned Tuesday.

Mayor Jaime Ylarde, the alleged mastermind of the murder of Aurora journalist Philip Agustin, appeared before Judge Armando Yanga at around 10 a.m. Monday.

Ylarde showed up before the court could issue an arrest warrant.

“I want to prove my innocence … I will not ask for any special treatment,” Ylarde said Tuesday in a radio interview.

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Press Statement
May 22, 2006

Slain journalist Fernando “Dong” Batul wearing his favorite shirt. (Photo courtesy of DYPR)

The Arroyo government may argue until it is blue in the face that a culture of impunity does not exist in the country.

It should tell that to the family of Palawan broadcaster Fernando “Dong” Batul, murdered early this morning on his way to anchor his regular Bastonero program on DYPR in Puerto Princesa.

And to the families of Albert Orsolino, gunned down in Caloocan City on May 16, Iring Maranan, mauled just hours after Orsolino’s murder by San Pablo City, Laguna Councilor Edgardo Adajar in full view of 100 people, including other journalists, and our 40 other colleagues who have lost their lives in the five years since Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo came to power.

With a death toll of journalists that has already far outstripped the 34 claimed by the 14-year dictatorship and the unabated murders of activists in numbers human rights groups say is fast catching up to the Marcos regime’s record, we no longer see how this administration can claim to preside over a society that claims to be the freest in this part of the world.

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Media Release: 42nd journalist killed under Philippines President Macapagal-Arroyo

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has backed its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, and said, “enough is enough” after yesterday a radio journalist became the 42nd media worker to be killed under President Macapagal-Arroyo’s rule, the 79th since 1986, and the fifth just this year.

Palawan broadcaster Fernando “Dong” Batul was murdered on May 22, 2006 on his way to anchor his regular Bastonero program on DYPR in Puerto Princesa.

“Enough is enough. The Philippines’ government must take strong action to punish those responsible and instil protections for media workers,” IFJ president Christopher Warren said.

“How many more journalists have to die in the Philippines before the president acts to stop the senseless slaughter?” Warren asked.

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Philippines
22 May 2006

A fifth journalist killed since start of 2006

Reporters Without Borders expressed dismay at the murder on 22 May 2006 of Fernando Batul, a commentator on dyPR radio, shot dead by two men on a motorbike as he was on his way to work in Puerto Princesa on Palawan island (south-west of Manila). Provincial police chief Elpidio de Asis said the killing was probably linked to his work.

The press freedom organisation said that murders of journalists investigating corruption were a frequent occurrence and that, after Iraq, the Philippines was viewed as the most dangerous country in the world for journalists. A press photographer was murdered there less than a week ago.

Police said the murder of Batul appeared to be the work of hired killers and the instigators were most likely local officials whose corruption the journalist had exposed. He had just uncovered and broadcast a case of illegal recruitment of workers in which officials were implicated.

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CPJ NEWS ALERT 2006
PHILIPPINES: Radio journalist killed after receiving threat

New York, May 22, 2006— The Committee to Protect Journalists called on the Philippines government to investigate the shooting death Monday of provincial radio journalist and commentator Fernando Batul. Two gunmen on motorcycles shot Batul six times as he drove to work at radio station DZRH in Puerto Princessa on Palawan Island, media reported.

The killing came one week after two hand grenades and a letter were left at Batul’s home. The letter threatened harm to his family if Batul continued with critical broadcasts. Deputy chief of national police, Avelino Razon, said it was not clear whether Batul was killed for his radio work. Batul was a former vice mayor of Puerto Princessa and had been highly critical in broadcasts of the current mayor. Mayor Edward Hagedorn told journalists he was not involved in the killing and offered a 2 million peso ($38,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of the killers.

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ALERT
May 22, 2006

Broadcaster killed in Palawan
www.abs-cbnnews.com

Unidentified armed men shot dead a radio commentator in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Monday morning, DZMM reported. He was the fifth journalist to be killed this year.

The victim was identified as Fernando “Dong” Batul, commentator of Palawan’s DYPR radio station.

Initial reports said two men riding tandem on a motorcycle drove up to Batul who was on his way to the radio station in Valencia Street around 6 a.m. Authorities said the gunmen opened fire using 9mm and .45 pistols, killing Batul.

Police said a witness is cooperating with authorities in the investigation.

Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn confirmed the killing.

In an interview with DZMM, Hagedorn confirmed that Batul was one of his critics. He added that he has ordered the police to resolve Batul’s killing within 48 hours or face possible dismissal.

Batul was the 42nd mediaman killed since Mrs. Arroyo became president in 2001.

The last victim was tabloid photojournalist Alberto Orsolino who was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Caloocan City Tuesday.

In its annual report the Paris-based Reporters sans Frontieres (Reporters Without Borders) ranked the Philippines as the most dangerous country for journalists after Iraq.

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19/05/2006
www.ifj.org

Safety Situation in the Philippines Going From Bad To Worse, says IFJ

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has renewed its concerns about the safety of journalists in the Philippines after a week of violent attacks on media workers.

The situation for journalists in the Philippines has gone from bad to worse this week when a journalist was violently attacked, on May 16, 2006, just hours after Albert Orsolino, a photojournalist with Saski Ngayon, was murdered in the capital Manila.

Iring Maranan, columnist and host of a local television program, was mauled by San Pablo City Councillor Edgardo Adajar in full view of over 100 people, including other journalists. The assault on Maranan, an ardent critic of the city government, was caught on camera.

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