Relatives of a local candidate in Lanao del Norte, Philippines attacked a broadcaster who had criticised the politician.
Relatives of a local candidate in Lanao del Norte attacked a broadcaster in Iligan City last 18 March 2013. Iligan City, a chartered city in Lanao del Norte, is approximately 792 kilometers south of Manila.
A sister and two male relatives of gubernatorial candidate Casan Maquiling allegedly went to dxLS Love Radio and ordered broadcaster Lino Dela Cruz to stop criticizing the politician. Dela Cruz hosts “Serbisyo sa Katawhan Una sa Tanan (Service to the People First)”, a one-hour blocktime program sponsored by the provincial government.
During the program break, Dela Cruz approached the relatives in a room where one of the relatives, a certain Asis Ali, told him to stop his commentaries against Casan Maquiling. Ali allegedly tried to strangle Dela Cruz when the latter explained he was just doing his job. A radio technician came to Dela Cruz’s aid and stopped Ali. Dela Cruz has reported the incident to the police.
Prior to the alleged attack, Dela Cruz had lambasted Maquiling for criticizing the current governor’s father, Abdullah Dimaporo, for not signing a peace covenant with other local candidates. Abdullah Dimaporo is running for 2nd District Representative of Lanao del Norte.
CMFR got in touch with Maquiling last 19 March 2013. He told CMFR that he was unaware of the incident, and would look into it.
Maquiling is running against incumbent governor Khalid Dimaporo and two independent candidates. Maquiling served as a former Board member and mayor of a municipality in Lanao del Norte.
Dela Cruz hosts other blocktime programs and writes for the Manila broadsheet The Philippine Star.
