(CMFR/IFEX) – Accused of slandering the local government, a radio station was threatened by a town mayor on 5 April 2006 in Valencia City, Bukidnon, approximately 830 kilometers south of Manila. In his order, dated 28 March, Valencia City Mayor Jose Galario directed Radio Mindanao’s (RMN) local radio station dxVR to stop “airing commercial broadcasts […]
(CMFR/IFEX) – Accused of slandering the local government, a radio station was threatened by a town mayor on 5 April 2006 in Valencia City, Bukidnon, approximately 830 kilometers south of Manila.
In his order, dated 28 March, Valencia City Mayor Jose Galario directed Radio Mindanao’s (RMN) local radio station dxVR to stop “airing commercial broadcasts or [performing] any acts pertaining to the operation of the station without authority or permit from the local government unit.”
According to Galario, RMN had violated city ordinances several times and one of its commentators had used the media as a political tool to disturb the peace in the city.
The mayor was referring to Joash Dignos, anchorman of RMN’s Kuskos Batikos radio program, which criticized Galario’s alleged irregular activities and abuse of authority.
“Dignos is not a member of (the) media,” Galario said angrily in an interview with the CMFR. “If he wants to be a member of the media, he should be neutral in presenting his commentaries.”
Whether a radio station is neutral or not, the town mayor has no legal powers to shut it down, CMFR notes. Under Philippine law, only the courts, the National Telecommunications Commission and the Congress have the authority to revoke a radio station’s license and/or suspend its broadcasts.
However, Galario claimed that he only sought to stop the airing of commentaries and advertisements, and not the closure of the radio station itself.
This is the second time Galario has tried to clamp down on a radio station since he assumed his government post five years ago. In 2003, he also ordered the suspension of the University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network for on-air commentaries attacking his administration.
According to dxVR’s staff and several witnesses, Galario came barging through the door of the radio station on 5 April, armed with a gun. They said the gun was deliberately used to instill fear in the radio station’s staff.
Galario apparently called out repeatedly to Dignos, who at that time was airing his radio program. “Come out and I will kill you,” Galario alleged cried, as quoted by one of the station’s personnel.
Dignos said he had to brave through the incident by continuing his program on air despite the tension outside. “Continuing to broadcast what was happening outside and what Galario was doing outside the station was my sanctuary,” Dignos said, as quoted by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines. “Yes, I was afraid but the truth is the only thing I have.”
A representative of the RMN said they will file charges against Galario.
The incident comes a little over a month after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued Proclamation 1017 and the corresponding General Order #5, which aims to establish the government’s authority to take over media outfits that are deemed a threat to national security.
