Radioman held without warrant continues airing

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Rodolfo Tanquis’ familiar voice filled the airwaves anew on Monday, two days after he walked out of prison on bail.

Tanquis is the broadcaster of dxFL-FM in Dipolog City, who was taken to jail by two policemen on orders of Dipolog City police chief Superintendent Reynaldo Maclang.

Maclang is the subject of Tanquis’ constant criticism of police’s failure to solve a series of gun crimes in Digos.

The police chief had Tanquis arrested while the broadcaster was on the air on Friday.

Maclang had forced his way into the radio station and grabbed the microphone from Tanquis several hours after suing Tanquis for sedition and libel.

Tanquis’ listeners were surprised to hear him again on radio, criticizing wrongdoing by officials.

What’s different, though, was that Tanquis is using a cell phone that he borrowed from a cousin.

Tanquis said he had to stop reporting to the station out of fear of what Maclang might do next. He said he also has to protect his wife and children. “We are afraid,” Tanquis said.

Maclang would not discuss the cases he filed against Tanquis, said Senior Supt. James Mejia, the Zamboanga del Sur police chief.

Chief Supt. Juanito Vano, Western Mindanao police chief, defended Maclang’s order to have Tanquis arrested without a warrant. Julie Alipala, Inquirer Mindanao