Radio reporter allegedly hit by ‘provoked’ jeepney drivers on strike

This January 2024 photo shows members of transport groups Manibela and Piston gathering in Quezon City to hold a motorcade against the government’s jeepney modernization program. INQUIRER/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — A radio reporter was allegedly attacked by jeepney drivers protesting in front of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and Land Transportation Office in Quezon City on Monday. But the strikers claimed the journo was “provoking” and “insulting” them.

Members of transport group Manibela supposedly punched Radio DZRH reporter Val Gonzales as he was reporting live about the three-day demonstration.

The incident was met with a tide of condemnation from several organizations.

“Sinuntok ako sa tagiliran ko, at sinugod ako ng napakarami na mga grupo na Manibela dahil nagrereport ako sa katotohanan,” Gonzales said during his live report while the purported assault was happening.

(I’ve been punched in the side, and a lot of groups from Manibela rushed toward me because I am reporting the truth.)

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Manibela president Mar Valbuena, however, said Gonzales had members incensed with malicious statements.

“Si Gonzales ang naunang nag-provoke sa aming hanay matapos niyang pagsalitaan at murahin ang mga miyembro ng Manibela na dapat umano’y ipakulong ang aming hanay dahil sa abala bago siya umere sa kanilang programa sa DZRH,” Valbuena said in a statement.

(It was Gonzales who provoked our group first after he spoke and insulted the members of Manibela that they should allegedly be imprisoned due to the inconvenience caused before he went on air for the DZRH program.)

“Ang nakita lamang sa kaniyang video report ay ang paligiran diumano siya ng aming mga miyembro, ngunit ito ay para kausapin lamang siya nang mahinahon. Ngunit hindi niya nilantad ang kaniyang mga malisyusong sinasabi bago siya umere, kaya diumano siya sinaktan,” he added.

(The only thing that was shown in his video report was when our members began to surround him, but it was only to talk to him calmly. But he did not expose his malicious words before he went on air, which is why he was allegedly hit.)

DZRH station manager Rudolph Steve Jularbal said the network will press charges against those involved in the punching of their reporter. He branded the incident as “harassment.”

“Ang mga kaparehong pangha-harrass ay malinaw na pagsikil sa karapatan sa pamamahayag at walang puywang sa isang sibilisadong lipunan,” Jularbal said in a statement.

(Such harassment is a clear violation of the right of the press and has no place in a civilized society.)

Philippine National Police spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said they are willing to help Gonzales file a complaint although she hopes for cooler heads to prevail.

The Defense Press Corps (DPC), in which Gonzales was a former member, condemned the incident, saying the violence is “unjustifiable.”

“The emotions and perceptions stemming from whatever our colleague reported is never a justification to subject a journalist to physical harm,” the DPC said in a statement.