Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR)

(CMFR/IFEX) – According to Metro Manila newspaper reports, a cable television reporter for Net 25 has been missing since 19 January 2002, when she was last seen by the Philippine military and police in Basilan, Mindanao. The reporter was allegedly in Basilan to conduct exclusive interviews with the Abu Sayyaf Group, which has been holding […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – A commentator-broadcaster for a Southern Philippine radio station was abducted, beaten and then released after three days in captivity. Noel Esin, more commonly known as Noli Ebarle, of Radio Mindanao Network’s (RMN) Radio dxBC, was found on the night of Monday 3 September 2001 in Butuan City, Southern Mindanao, blindfolded and hogtied. He […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – Former president Joseph Estrada has ordered his lawyers to file a P100 million (approx. US$1.9 million) libel suit against Military Intelligence Chief Col. Victor Corpus and the “Philippine Daily Inquirer” on Monday 13 August at the earliest. Allegations that Estrada and Senator Panfilo Lacson, former Philippine National Police chief and ally of Estrada, […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – On 14 June at around 9:00 a.m. (local time), four unidentified gunmen ambushed a local radio station commentator and his companions in Davao City, Davao del Sur, in Southern Mindanao, Philippines. Juan “Jun” Pala of dxLL Radyo Ukay of the University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network (UMBN) and two companions were ambushed while their […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – According to a 7 June 2001 report in the Manila-based newspaper “Philippine Star”, Zamboanga City police have identified and formally charged with murder the alleged killer of radio announcer Candelario Cayona Jr. of dxLL Radyo Ukay. Police said witnesses positively identified Adbulwarid Ada as the gunman. Ada, however, is still at large. The […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – A radio station in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, in southern Philippines, was bombed in the early morning of 6 June 2001, injuring two people. The bomb exploded in the compound housing the station of dyHB Radyo Agong of Radio Mindanao Network (RMN), leaving a three-metre hole in an outside wall. Two bystanders were […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – On 23 May 2001, three alleged leaders of a splinter communist rebel group were arrested because they are suspected of being responsible for the death of radio correspondent Vincent Rodriguez during a river ambush in the northern province of Pampanga, Philippines last year. The arrests of the three alleged leaders of the Rebolusyonaryong […]

(CMFR/IFEX) – On 30 May 2001 at around 6:00 a.m. local time, a radio announcer was shot several times near his home in Zamboanga City, Philippines. Candelario “Jhun” Cayona of DXLL Radyo Ukay was on his way to work by motorcycle when two unidentified assailants shot him. He died on the spot. Police claim they […]