Aurora journalist gets threat from alleged NPA rebel
CABANATUAN CITY –– A journalist in Aurora province was allegedly targeted for extortion by a man who claimed to be a rebel group member, police said.
Jason Francisco de Asis, 46, a stringer for TV5 and Philippine News Agency (PNA), told the police that a certain “Kumander Dante” of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army had phoned him at 12:01 p.m. on Thursday demanding high-powered firearms from him.
De Asis, a resident of Baler town, said the alleged rebel threatened to abduct him and his wife if he did not heed the demand.
“Kaya kitang dukutin, pati ang asawa mo sa loob ng bente kwatro oras, kaya kong pasabugin ang negosyo mo kung hindi ka magbibigay,” De Asis said in a police blotter entry, quoting the rebel.
De asis said he told the caller that he would not give in to the demand, which prompted the rebel to hang up.
On Friday, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines issued an alert regarding the incident.
