CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – “We link up arms with all our chapters in welcoming the decision by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Cebu City (a province in central Philippines) in finding the gunman of Cebu radio broadcaster Cirse "Choy" Torrabla guilty of attempted murder.”

Thus expressed Fred Villareal, Secretary-General of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Pampanga chapter on April 5.

The gunman, identified as John Lloyd Ortiz was sentenced to jail of up to 12 years and ordered to pay Torrabla P161,214 (about US$3880) in damages for indemnity, medical expenses and car repairs.

According to the NUJP National Safety Office, the decision was based on a 29-page decision by Cebu RTC Judge Estela Alam Singco issued on March 31.

Ortiz was charged of shooting Torrabla several times while he was driving past the dyAR radio station in Cebu City on June 8, 2004.

As per NUJP records there are as many as 91 murders of journalists and media workers in the past 20 years. Only four perpetrators have been convicted and only eight investigations are active.

“At least the conviction of John Lloyd Ortiz for attempted murder of a journalist can mean there is one less media killer on the streets, and is indeed a big symbolic forward step for all journalists in the country,” Villareal averred.

Support for threatened journalist

Meanwhile, Villareal said NUJP Pampanga also joins the call for the Philippine National Police to take immediate action against the threats to the life of Palawan journalist Redempto Anda

Anda, a correspondent of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, is also the chairperson of the NUJP's Palawan chapter.

Emailed updates from the NUJP National Safety Center said Anda received two threatening text messages last Friday (04 April 2008) from a cellular phone with the number 09267869353.

The first message said, "Watch your back you have been tempting the gods! Don't even think they will take it kindly that you are on a personal crusade against the KAPITAN."

This was immediately followed by the following message: "Be kind to an animal? Yes we will, through mercy killing! Goodluck."

According to Anda, the only controversial story he has written recently was about the alleged moves of a mining company owned by business magnate Lucio Tan to prevent the president from declaring Mt. Mantalinhangan a protected area. Tan is widely known as "El Kapitan" or The Captain.

Mt. Mantalinhangan hosts the remaining intact forest in southern Palawan, a protected area. Tan's MacroAsia has applied for a large-scale nickel mining concession in southern Palawan. The article on the mining firm came out in the April 1 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. A representative of the mining company though has denied involvement in the threats against Anda.

Writ of Amparo

In another development, Jose Torres Jr, National Chairperson of the NUJP appeared before the Court of Appeals Special Third Division last Friday (April 4, 2008) and testified for the petition for a Writ of Amparo in favor of a Mindoro journalist who had earlier received death threats.

The petition for a Writ of Amparo (CA-G.R. SP NO. 00022 WR/A) filed for Nilo Baculo Sr., a former broadcaster and publisher of a local paper, is the first petition filed on behalf of a journalist.

The respondents of the petition are Calapan City Mayor Paulino Salvador Leachon, Vice Mayor Rafael L. Infantado, City Administrator Antonio S. Perez, and several other incumbent and past city officials.

Baculo went into hiding after learning of an alleged plot on his life. xxx