Dear Friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) deeply regrets to inform you that two journalists have been killed while two others have received threats in separate incidents in April and May. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the ongoing attacks on journalists as a result of their work depriving them of the protection necessary to exercise their freedom of expression.
CASE DETAILS: (Based on reports and cases documented by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) and National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP))
CASE 1: Killed while accompanying a colleague cover a story
Rommel Palma, a driver of Bombo Radyo Koronadal who occasionally reported the weather for the station, had been working for the station for four years. On 30 April 2012, at about 5am, Palma was with one of the radio station’s reporters, Rey Legario, at the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, Koronadal City.
Legario, who does his routine work as hospital beat reporter, entered the hospital to collect information to report for their station while Palma waited in the car outside. While Legario was inside the hospital two gunmen shot Palma. The security guard of the hospital responded to the scene but the suspects were able to flee. Palma was declared dead by doctors at the hospital. He sustained gunshot wounds in the back and neck.
According to Herminio Legaspi, station manager of Bombo Radyo Koronadal, the police had already ‘invited’ (in Philippines, this type of police invitation is in reality a custodial investigation in absence of legal counsel) to their office two possible suspects, an alias “Bobot” and “Hagibis” for questioning. But the two persons were later released after police failed to establish their involvement in Palma’s murder.
Bobot and Hagibis allegedly had a dispute with Palma’s brother about their quarrying business in which Palma had some involvement. Again, the AHRC express reservation as to how the policemen could quickly establish the motive of the murder of journalists, usually over business conflicts and person grudges. On 22 April 2012, the two allegedly went to Palma’s house looking for him but at the time he was not at home. Legaspi had told Palma to report the incident to the police, but it could not be immediately known whether he had done so.
CASE 2: Shot dead by unidentified assailants
On 8 May 2012, at about 2pm, Nestor Libaton, (40), married with four children was killed by unidentified gunmen. He was a news reporter of DxHM-AM (Ang Radyo Totoo), a Roman Catholic church-owned radio station in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Libaton was on his way to the city proper on his motorcycle when two suspects riding another motorcycle shot him seven times. Libaton died on the spot. He was with a fellow broadcaster, Eldon Cruz, on board his own motorcycle when the shooting happened in Sitio Bitan-agan, Don Enrique Lopez village, of the same city.
At the time of his death, Libaton reported and covered stories on the current prices of commodities in the public market. As observed by his colleagues, he had no known enemies in relation to his work as a radio broadcaster and he had not made any controversial stories in the past.
The AHRC, however, observes that the attacks on journalists in recent times have been carried out without clear motives on part of the attackers or masterminds; thus, regardless of whether there is a motive on his murder or not the fact that he was murdered and it has to be investigated.
The Mati City Police Office (MCPO) has already created, Task Force Libaton, which is what the police do in most murders involving journalists.
CASE 3: Threatened after surviving earlier attempt on his life
On 5 May 2012, at about 6pm, Michael James “Dacoycoy”, radio commentator of Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro radio, the same broadcasting company where murdered driver and weather reporter, Rommel Palma, worked, received threats via a SMS message in capital letters;
“Naa na diay ka pusil karon. Dili gihapon na makaluwas nimo. Pwede tika hiposon odtong dako. Ga tan-aw ra akong mga tawo sa imo James Dacoycoy. Sa pagkakaron wala ka kabalo kinsa imo tinood nga kontra ug tinood nga amigo (We know that you have a gun now. It won’t save you. I can kill you even at daylight. My men are following you James Dacoycoy. For now, you wouldn’t know who your enemies and friends are).”
The threat on Licuanan followed an attempt on his life last 24 November 2011. He said it was the first direct threats that he had received since the incident. At that time, Licuanan survived an attempt on his life when two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle shot him as he was on his way home from hosting his radio program “Zona Libre.” He suffered a gunshot wound in his left buttock that exited through his abdomen.
After the first attempt on Licuanan, the police assigned a police officer to secure the radio station during Licuanan’s show. Licuanan also hired two bodyguards.
His radio program, “Zona Libre”, is a public affairs program that discusses various topics, usually straight forward comments on issues of public interest and concerns. Any of the programs could have led to the threats and attacks on his life.
However, when Senior Superintendent Gerardo Rosale, chief of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, asked about the progress of their investigation on the threats on Licuanan, he said they were currently having difficulty in tracing the identities of the person who sent them message and the probable suspects because the threat was sent via SMS.
CASE 4: A colleague of a murdered journalist receives threat
On 10 May 2012, at 8:39am, Lito Labra received a threatening text message which read read: “P-tang ina ka! Dapat ikaw ang namatay dili si Nestor (Libaton) nga bootan. ‘Tong amigo nimo sa Gensan dapat una ka ato. Sige ka balik-balik sa mining kay wala kay S.O.P., sige lang ug dili ka namo mabaslan naa man kay pamilya.
(You are a son of a b–ch! You should have been the one who died and not Nestor (Libaton) who was a good man. You should have died ahead of your friend in Gensan (General Santos city). You keep on discussing about mining because you have not received any S.O.P. (bribe money). If we can’t get you, we can get your family.)
The threat on Labra began when he discussed illegal mining and logging activities in Mati. Labra is the host of a daily radio program at 91.5 dxWM-Sunrise FM in Mati. Labra reported the threat to a local police. He had to change his routine (usually this is what journalists could do to protect themselves due to lack of adequate protection) which he has been doing ever since he received various threats last February.
Labra had no idea as to who could be the persons or groups out to kill him. In fact, Labra said he has talked with Manny Cuizon, of the mining company Phil. Youbang Mineral International Corp., confronting them as to whether they have paid off a group to kill him. Phil. Youbang is one of the mining firms that Labra had lambasted in his radio program for their illegal mining operations.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the concerned authorities listed below expressing your concern about this case.
The AHRC is also writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders and Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
To support this appeal, please click here:
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
PHILIPPINES: Two journalists killed, two others receive threats in separate incidents in Mindanao
CASE 1
Name of the victim killed: Rommel Palma, a driver and reporter of Bombo Radyo Koronadal and sometimes does weather reporting for the station, has been working for the station for four years.
Alleged perpetrator/s: two unidentified armed men
Date of incident: 30 April 2012 at 5am
Place of incident: Outside the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, Koronadal City.
CASE 2
Name of the victim killed: Nestor Libaton, 40 years old, married with four children, reporter of DxHM-AM (Ang Radyo Totoo), Roman Catholic church-owned radio station in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Alleged perpetrators: two unidentified men boarding a motorcycle
Date of incident: On 8 May 2012 at 2pm
Place of incident: Sitio Bitan-agan, Don Enrique Lopez village, Mati City
CASE 3
Name of the victim threatened: Michael James “Dacoycoy” Licuanan, radio commentator, Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro. He works in the same company as in Case No. 1.
Alleged perpetrators: Unknown
Date of incident: 5 May 2012 at 6pm
CASE 4
Name of the victim threatened: Lito Labra, commentator of radio program 91.5 dxWM-Sunrise FM in Mati.
Alleged perpetrators: unknown
Date of incident: 10 May 2012 at 8:30am
I am writing to raise my grave concern regarding the killing of two journalists, Rommel Palma and Nestor Libaton; and threats on the lives of two others, Michael James Licuanan and Lito Labra. The attack on these journalists, though not surprising and has in fact been a commonplace in the country, has since had enormous impacts on the exercise of freedom of expression and journalism profession.
As you know, freedom of expression is fundamental for the protection of rights. The murder of these journalists and the lack of adequate protection for those facing threats, has had tremendous impact, not only in their journalism profession, but also as to how socio-political discourse that is of interest to the public is cultivated.
Firstly, Palma was shot dead on 30 April 2012 at 5am just outside the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital, Koronadal City. At the time, Palma was with one of the radio station’s reporters, Rey Legario. Legario, who does his routine work as hospital beat reporter, entered the hospital to collect information to report for their station while Palma was waiting in the car outside. While Legario was inside, two gunmen shot Palma. The security guard of the hospital responded to the scene but the suspects were able to flee. Palma was declared dead by doctors at the hospital. He sustained gunshot wounds in the back and neck.
According to Herminio Legaspi, station manager of Bombo Radyo Koronadal, the police had already ‘invited’ (in Philippines, this type of police invitation are in reality custodial investigation in absence of legal counsels) to their office two possible suspects, an alias “Bobot” and “Hagibis” for questioning. But the two persons were later released after police failed to establish their involvement in the murder of Palma.
The AHRC expresses reservations as to how the policemen could quickly establish the motive of the murder of journalists, usually on business conflicts and person grudges.
Secondly, Libaton was on his way to the city proper on board his motorcycle when two suspects riding another motorcycle shot him seven times. Libaton died on the spot. He was with a fellow broadcaster, Eldon Cruz, on board his own motorcycle when the shooting happened in Sitio Bitan-agan, Don Enrique Lopez village, of the same city.
At the time of his death, Libaton reported and covered stories on the current prices of commodities in the public market. As observe by his colleagues, he had no known enemy in relation to his work as a radio broadcaster and he has not made controversial stories in the past.
The AHRC, however, observes that the attacks on journalists in recent times were carried out without clear motives on part of the attackers or masterminds; thus, regardless whether there is or there is no motive on his murder the fact that he was murdered and somebody has murdered him, it has to be investigated.
The Mati City Police Office (MCPO) has already created, Task Force Libaton, as what the police do in most murders involving journalists.
Thirdly, Michael James “Dacoycoy”, radio commentator of Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro radio and the same broadcasting company where murdered driver and weather reporter, Rommel Palma, works for received threats via SMS message in capital letters on 5 May 2012, at 6pm;
“Naa na diay ka pusil karon. Dili gihapon na makaluwas nimo. Pwede tika hiposon odtong dako. Ga tan-aw ra akong mga tawo sa imo James Dacoycoy. Sa pagkakaron wala ka kabalo kinsa imo tinood nga kontra ug tinood nga amigo (We know that you have a gun now. It won’t save you. I can kill you even at daylight. My men are following you James Dacoycoy. For now, you wouldn’t know who your enemies and friends are).”
The threat on Licuanan followed an attempt on his life last 24 November 2011. He said it was the first direct threats that he had received since the incident. At that time, Licuanan survived an attempt on his life when two men riding in tandem on a motorcycle shot him as he was on his way home from hosting his radio program “Zona Libre.” He suffered a gunshot wound in his left buttock that exited through his abdomen.
After the first attempt on Licuanan, the police assigned a police officer to secure the radio station during Licuanan’s show. Licuanan also hired two bodyguards.
His radio program, “Zona Libre”, is a public affairs program that discussed various topics, usually straight forward comments on issues of public interest and concerns. Any of his programs could have led to the threats and attacks on his life.
However, when Senior Superintendent Gerardo Rosale, chief of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, asked about the progress of their investigation on the threats on Licuanan, he said they were currently having difficulty in tracing the identities of the person who sent them message and the probable suspects because the threat was sent via SMS.
Fourthly, Lito Labra also received a threat via text message on 10 May 2012, at 8:39am. The text message read: “P-tang ina ka! Dapat ikaw ang namatay dili si Nestor (Libaton) nga bootan. ‘Tong amigo nimo sa Gensan dapat una ka ato. Sige ka balik-balik sa mining kay wala kay S.O.P., sige lang ug dili ka namo mabaslan naa man kay pamilya”.
(You are a son of a b–ch! You should have been the one who died and not Nestor (Libaton) who was a good man. You should have died ahead of your friend in Gensan (General Santos city). You keep on discussing about mining because you have not received any S.O.P. (bribe money). If we can’t get you, we can get your family.)
The threat on Labra began when he discussed about illegal mining and logging activities in Mati. Labra host a daily radio program at 91.5 dxWM-Sunrise FM in Mati. Labra reported the threat to a local police. He had to change his routine (usually this is what journalists could do to protect themselves due to lack of adequate protection) which he has been doing ever since he received various threats last February.
Labra had no idea as to who could be the persons or groups out to kill him. In fact, Labra said he has talked with Manny Cuizon, of the mining company Phil. Youbang Mineral International Corp., confronting them as to whether they have paid off a group to kill him. Phil. Youbang is one of the mining firms that Labra had lambasted in his radio program for their illegal mining operations.
I urge you to ensure that this incident is properly investigated and to ensure that those involved are held responsible without delay. Also, to ensure the witnesses and families of the murdered victims, should they decide to prosecute the case, must be guaranteed with adequate security and protection promptly. I trust that you will take appropriate action in these cases. Those who face threats should also be afforded adequate protection and the identities of those involved in the threats must be established.
Yours sincerely,
——————————
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Benigno Aquino III
President
Republic of the Philippines
Malacanang Palace
JP Laurel Street, San Miguel
Manila 1005
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 736 1010
Tel: +63 2 735 6201 / 564 1451 to 80
2. Ms. Loretta Ann Rosales
Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Bldg., Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 929 0102
Tel: +63 2 928 5655 / 926 6188
E-mail: chair.rosales.chr@gmail.com
3. Director General Nicanor Bartolome
Chief, Philippine National Police (PNP)
Camp General Rafael Crame
Quezon City
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2724 8763
Tel: +63 2 726 4361/4366/8763
E-mail: ruth_cossid@yahoo.com
4. Ms. Leila de Lima
Secretary
Department of Justice (DOJ)
DOJ Bldg., Padre Faura
1004 Manila
PHILIPPINES
Fax: +63 2 521 1614
E-mail: soj@doj.gov.ph
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) (ua@ahrc.asia)
