A catholic reporter killed

Manila (AsiaNews) - A provincial reporter of the Catholic Radio Veritas, Fernando Consignado, was found dead yesterday by his neighbours in his home in Nagcarlan, about 150 kilometers from Manila. Apparently he was killed by a gunshot on his head. The police are still investigating the case and the possible motive behind the murder.
Consignado is the latest journalist killed, numbering to 48 cases of journalist murders since the return of democracy in the country in 1986.  He is the fourth journalist killed  within the past 3 weeks. According to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, an affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists, thus, matches the record of Colombia and shows that the Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist. "These killings have got to stop," said Caloy Conde of NUJP. "The situation is very alarming."
Because of these killings, it has been suggested that journalists be allowed to carry firearms, however, some journalists disapprove this suggestion. Many of those killed are based in the provinces and have been critical of the local government officials.
In the meantime, 30 soldiers from the Armed Forces, after a 10-day seminar workshop, will join the media. According to Major Gamal Hayudini, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Civil Relations Service in Western Mindanao, they will be covering issues "like the other mainstream media."
However, NUJP denounced this, calling it "a heavy-handed attempt at news management and the latest sign of the constriction of democratic space in the country." Allowing soldiers to pass themselves off as regular reporters, "could mislead the public into accepting outright propaganda as legitimate news." (SE)

13/08/2004 00:00:00 - South East Asia Philippines


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