MANILA, Philippines – A journalist group on Friday urged Commission on Human Rights Chairperson Leila de Lima to look into reports that a journalist in Davao City was being harassed by unidentified men as well as several unsolved cases of media harassment.

In a letter given to De Lima during the CHR-led public inquiry into the extralegal killings in Davao, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in Davao sought De Lima’s help over the alleged harassment of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN)-DXDC Davao reporter Elgin Damasco.

On March 16, Damasco, who anchors the daily Tinuod nga Balita (The Real News), reportedly received a text message that read: “Ka Damasco, mula ng kayong tatlo ay naging spokesman ng NPA [New People’s Army], matagumpay kayong nanalo sa propaganda laban sa AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], dahil dyan may reward kayong tatlo.”

The text message came from a sender having the phone number +63905-507-5929.

After receiving the text, Damasco immediately explained in his program that he was not in favor of anyone nor was he a spokesperson of the NPA.

In response, he again received a text message from the same sender saying, “Matapang ka ha.”

Damasco claims the military was behind the text messages.

Damasco has been covering reports on alleged abuses by the military against civilians in the Southern Mindanao region.

In one of his interviews, a village official allegedly told him that a military officer was beating up residents in the area. This was reported by Damasco, leading to an investigation by the Davao City Council.

Damasco was also one of the journalists who interviewed NPA leader Leoncio Pitao alias Commander Parago on the murder of his daughter, Rebelyn Pitao.

In that interview, Parago named suspects in the killing of his daughter and that reportage prompted the military to “restrict” some of their personnel to the barracks, pending investigation.

NUJP-Davao expressed concern over the safety of Damasco. The group said that suspicious men were already spotted in Damasco’s neighborhood.

Earlier, a certain Captain Esnani Mai of the 67th Infantry Battalion based in Davao Oriental allegedly tagged RMN-DXDC Davao as “a favorite of the communists.”

A recording of that statement has been sent to De Lima.

“We are alarmed by what has befallen our colleague. We see this as an incident that is meant to intimidate Damasco and all other journalists who have the dedication and the courage to brave the dangerous route of Southern Mindanao to get the real score on the seeming disregard of human rights in these places,” NUJP-Davao said.

The group also sought the help of De Lima over the following journalist harassments:

• Harassment of Radyo Natin-Compostela Valley broadcaster Roel Sembrano
• Murder of DXGO-Davao broadcaster Fernando “Batman” Lintuan
• Murder of Radyo Ukay-Digos City broadcaster Racman Pace
• Murder of former RMN-Davao broadcaster Dennis Cuesta
• Harassment of RPN-Davao broadcaster Erin Lumosbog
• Attack on Radyo Ukay-Digos City broadcaster Ronaldo Doong

“We express our concern that such incidents might lead to the deterioration of press freedom here, a situation that augurs ill for the ongoing efforts in finding out the truth about grave human rights violations occurring in the city, such as the summary executions of persons suspected to be involved in criminality and the extrajudicial killings of activists and civilians in communities where counter-insurgency measures of the government are being undertaken,” the group said.