Radio man gets threats for comments on cop chief

DAVAO CITY—A radio reporter here has received threats due to his commentaries over the reinstatement of the police chief of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) reported on Friday.

JB Deveza, coordinator of NUJP’s Mindanao media safety office, said Eric Lumosbog of Radio Philippines Network’s dxKT station here, was hosting his daily morning program “dxKT Radyo Ronda” on July 1 when he received a text message asking him to refrain from “sensationalizing the police chief’s reinstatement.”

The NUJP said Lumosbog was commenting on the reinstatement of Chief Insp. Wilfredo Santillana, who was suspended five months ago for firing his gun inside a cockpit. NUJP said Santillana was reported to be intoxicated at the time.

In his commentary, Lumosbog questioned the reinstatement of Santillana which the radio reporter believed was made through the intercession of Joel Lopez, the mayor of Sta. Cruz.

NUJP said the harassment of journalists continues with impunity.

Recently, Cotabato City broadcaster Vern Simon, 42, of the Catholic-run radio station dxMS, also reported receiving threats from still unidentified sources.

Simon, who anchors the daily editorial program of the radio station, said the threats came since May but he did not take it seriously until recently.

Edwin Fernandez, dxMS station manager, said management has already instituted safety measures in response to the threats on Simon.

Fernandez said threats against journalists were not uncommon in Cotabato City. Germelina Lacorte, Inquirer Mindanao