CHR, DILG to probe online threat vs journos Ed Lingao, Lourd de Veyra 

Lourd De Veyra (left) and Ed Lingao. PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines — Journalist Ed Lingao and TV anchor Lourd de Veyra have been the target of death threats on social media, prompting an investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

CHR issued a statement saying, “We shall endeavor to reach out to the involved and explore preventive measures, through [our] Investigation Office, offer assistance as well as a quick response mechanism that will look into the veracity of threats, among others.”

After the death of journalist Percival Mabasa, better known as Percy Lapid, on October 3, the CHR said that a man named Seth Corteza threatened the two media personalities, warning that they would be the next assassination victims.

It further said that it does “not and cannot take lightly any threats or any allusions to harm the lives of journalists, regardless if such statements are deliberate or cursory.”

“The Commission calls on the government to address these violations and take proactive measures to stop media attacks. We look forward to their efforts to look into this matter and similar cases of media rights violations committed in the country. CHR hopes for genuine justice and the end of impunity,” the CHR said.

Also responding to the threats against the media figures was Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos, who said he will have the anti-cybercrime group investigate.

“Bring them over to our cybercrime. I will ask our police to take note of this, and we could trace this, we could trace this,” he said.

A Facebook post of Lingao on Tuesday showed a screenshot of a tweet by a “Seth Corteza ng Metrosun” claiming that two more are included in a supposed “kill contract,” and then named the two journalists. The purported tweet has a time stamp “4:42 AM, Oct 4, 2022” which is barely a day after Lapid was slain.

Lingao’s Facebook post also included screenshots of the profile of Seth Corteza.

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