Inquirer Zambo reporter reports threat to police

DAVAO CITY—Zamboanga City-based Inquirer reporter Julie Alipala has filed a report at the Zamboanga City police about two suspicious-looking men riding a motorcycle who appeared to be casing her house.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said it had talked with Alipala on what security measures she might need in the wake of the incident.

In her report to the Zamboanga City police, Alipala said she was at home around 5 p.m. of Sept. 14 when the unidentified men, whose faces were covered by their full helmets, arrived.

One of the two men, she said, alighted and asked her son, who happened to be outside the house, where she was.

When told she was inside, one of the men removed his helmet and requested her son to call her out.

“I was about to get out of the house but I noticed their motorbike has no plate number,” Alipala said.

“I also noticed [that the] motorbike’s engine was running,” she said.

Alipala said she stopped at the doorstep and asked one of the men what they wanted.

“I asked again about their intention in a loud tone. The guy said they just wanted to know if I am selling the Wrangler [jeep parked outside the house]. I said no and [when I was] about to ask why, they left hastily,” Alipala said.

In a post on her Facebook account, Alipala said she suspected that the incident was linked to her recent reports about the arrest of perpetrators in the kidnapping of Indian national Viju Kolara Veetil in Sulu and Chinese national Jian Luo in Zamboanga City.

The arrests “raised so many questions against an official.” The official’s name would be known soon. Inquirer Mindanao