Media stage nationwide protests calling for end to attacks

BY MARLON RAMOS
Southern Luzon Bureau

LUCENA CITY - Braving the pain caused by a bullet slug still lodged in his back, Delfin Mallari Jr., correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, led more than 80 journalists in an indignation rally here on Wednesday calling for an end to attacks on members of the media.

Still recuperating from two bullet wounds from a botched attempt on his life, Mallari had to sit on a wheelchair as the protesters marched around the town.

The Lucena rally was part of a nationwide day of indignation organized by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

Aside from the rally in Quezon, NUJP provincial chapters in Baguio, Iloilo, Sorsogon, Bacolod, Davao, Olongapo, Kidapawan City, Cagayan de Oro City, Pampanga and Nueva Ecija also held their own activities to challenge the national government and Philippine National Police (PNP) to end assaults on journalists.

The nationwide protest was held a day after Carmelo "Mark" Palacios, Nueva Ecija reporter of government-run Radyo ng Bayan, was buried. Palacios was found dead on April 18, apparently tortured to death, according to authorities.

He was the 51st journalist murdered under the Arroyo administration and the 88th since the democratic restoration of 1986. The attempt on Mallari's life took place the day after.

"Both my son and my wife had strongly objected to my decision to go out and participate in this gathering. But I have to face the public and tell the people that I will not be cowed," Mallari, a founding member of the NUJP chapter in Quezon, said.

"I will never let my fear conquer me because that would only paralyze me," he added.Mallari's wife Percy, a cousin and his close-in police bodyguard took turns maneuvering the wheelchair of the Inquirer correspondent.

Senior Superintendent Hernando Zafra, Quezon police director, deployed at least 10 policemen along the route of the march which kicked off from the St. Ferdinand Cathedral around 10 a.m. and went around the major streets of the city, because of security threats.

During a one-hour program held at a busy intersection right after the march, Mallari calmly appealed to the local police to immediately resolve the failed murder try on him and colleague Johnny Glorioso, a correspondent of dzMM radio station.

Reading from a four-page speech that he prepared, he urged his fellow journalists to respect the investigation being undertaken by the "Task Force Mallari.

"He likewise said he had already forgiven those who wanted him dead. "Kung sino man po ang mga kriminal na nagtangkang kitilin agad ang aking buhay maging ang buhay ng aking kumpareng si Johnny, buong katapatan ko pong ipinapahayag sa araw na ito na pinatatawad ko na kayo [Whoever are the criminals who tried to kill me and my friend Johnny, I can honestly say this day that I have forgiven you]," he said in his 12-minute speech.

"But in the coming days, they will have to bear whatever punishment that the state would hand on them if ever they get arrested," he added.In an interview, Mallari admitted he feared a whitewash on his case.

He earlier identified incumbent Quezon Representative Rafael Nantes, who is running for governor under the Liberal Party, as the "most possible mastermind" of the attack."There really is a possibility of a whitewash as the person I accused as being behind the ambush is very influential. The police was quick to clear him of any complicity even without the benefit of a fair investigation," he lamented.

Nantes vehemently denied Mallari's claims. Mallari said the creation of an independent investigation team seemed to be a better option than waiting for the slow progress of the PNP inquiry."The vigilance of the media is my only home right now. This is not a simple politically motivated slay try," he said.

In his speech, Mallari said he realized that the attack could have been triggered by his exposes on the operations of illegal drug syndicates in Quezon.Just a few weeks before the shooting incident, Mallari wrote an article about the supposed shipment of 50 kilos of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) from Polilio island.

The contraband came from the same area where 500 kilos of shabu worth almost P1 billion were confiscated from Panukulan, Quezon Mayor Ronnie Mitra in 2002.Mallari reported that the shipment of the illegal drugs was a "fund-raising project" for a well-known politician in the province."

I believe that we have successfully unmasked the personalities behind the drug syndicate in Quezon through our stories in the newspaper, radio and television. These people are now trying to protect their illegal activities by joining the election process," he said. "If we remain insensitive to these issues…we might suddenly wake up one morning and find that Quezon is the new shabu capital of the country."

Nantes has been linked to the illicit drugs trade in Quezon in the past, an allegation that he has repeatedly denied. A week after surviving the foiled slay try, Mallari remained unfazed.He said he had no plans of leaving his profession or backing down from making critical commentaries."If the criminals who wanted me dead think that I will be frightened and silenced, I only got one message for you -- you're wrong!" he said.

"After what you did to me and my partner, Johnny, we don't have to write or broadcast our stories because the public now knows who is behind this crime." Mallari said he was overwhelmed by the support given to him by his fellow journalists.

A contingent of Batangas journalists led by members of the Batangas Newswriters' Association and NUJP-Batangas were among those who joined the Lucena protest. Residents and employees of business establishments also lined up along the streets to show their sympathy.

As the protesters passed through an intersection, an elderly man stopped his motorbike and approached Mallari. "We're behind you. What you did was right. Don't be afraid," the man told Mallari."Thank you very much," Mallari replied.

In Iloilo, journalists wore black shirts in their coverage to show solidarity with their colleagues in condemning the recent attacks against the media.

"This is my way of telling them that no one can silence us journalists in telling the truth," said Rexcel John Sorza, head for news gathering of GMA TV in Iloilo City.

In Bacolod City, the NUJP Negros and the Negros Media Council for Press Freedom will spearhead the wearing of black armbands on Friday to protest the attacks, said Edgar Cadagat, who belongs to both groups.

NUJP secretary general Weng Paraan, who joined the Lucena protest, said Metro Manila-based journalists showed their sympathy by wearing black T-shirts or black ribbons.Journalists and supporters in Bicol also wore black T-shirts in sympathy. In her message in Lucena, Paraan challenged the PNP and members of the "Task Force Usig," the special police unit tasked to solve the killings of activists and media practitioners, to put the mastermind of the attacks behind bars.

Paraan said authorities have only four convictions to show for the 88 cases of media killings since 1986.And she lamented that, in those four convictions, only the gunmen have been punished.

"The PNP should explain why, despite their various claims that they were doing everything to solve these killings, they have failed to jail the masterminds of these killings," she said.

Paraan said the NUJP would initiate a dialogue with the PNP and key Malacañang officials to discuss concrete measures on how to stop the violence against members of the media.