IFJ condemns Zamboanga City council

[The International Federation of Journalists condemns the Zamboanga City council for having passed a council resolution against Al Jacinto as persona non grata. The IFJ joins the National Union of Journalists Zamboanga City chapter to correct this anti-media and intimidation of the city leaders which is a personal attack on Al Jacinto.]

Disgruntled Council Launches Personal Attack on Journalist in the Philippines

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly condemns the decision by the Zamboanga City Council in the Philippines to declare senior veteran journalist Al Jacinto “persona non grata” on August 7 in response to unfavourable news reports.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an IFJ affiliate, the declaration was connected to articles published by Jacinto on GMANews.tv regarding conflict between religious and ethnic groups in relation to the Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE), a new geographical territory proposed by the Philippines government.

The BJE agreement is part of ongoing peace negotiations between the government and local separatist groups in Zamboanga, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“Personal condemnation of a journalist as “persona non grata” on the basis of their reporting through a formal council resolution is an act of harassment and an attack on press freedom,” the IFJ Asia-Pacific said.

“All parties involved must understand the important duty of journalists to report fairly on all sides, and intimidation of this kind can not be tolerated.”

The IFJ joins the NUJP in demanding the Zamboanga City Council issue a formal apology to Jacinto for the inflammatory statement and for instigating unnecessary anti-media sentiment.

The statement came after the murders of two journalists in the Philippines last week. Martin Roxas, anchorman for Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) was shot on August 7. Dennis Cuesta, program director for the RMN dxMD program, died in hospital on Saturday August 9 from injuries sustained from a shooting on August 4, the NUJP reports.

“As the Philippines media mourns the murder of two broadcast journalists last week, the IFJ is dismayed at this unwarranted incitement of anti-media sentiment by authority figures not only towards Jacinto but all journalists in the Philippines.”

More kidnappings foiled

The Western Mindanao Command intelligence operatives together with the local police foiled more kidnappings in Zamboanga City as they battled armed kidnappers off the coast of Tigtabon island.

On 11Aug08, Wesmincom chief Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga presented Rey Bacalso, a sub-leader for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Special Operations Group, during a media briefing at Camp Navarro.

Allaga said the neutralization of Bacalso disrupted the group in their future kidnapping plans. “I call on concerned citizens to cooperate with us so we can eliminate these personalities,” he stressed.

On the night of 10Aug08, intelligence operatives in coordination with the Philippine National Police Special Action Force launched a maritime operation that led to a 45 minute gunbattle in the sea. Bacalso was captured when he tried to escape using a single engine motorized banca. Two more suspects remain missing.

Bacalso revealed during tactical interrogation that he was part of the kidnapping of Zamboanga City businessman Inocente “Tito” Baustista and nursing student Preciosa Feliciano. He also admitted that he is the current deputy to MILF SOG Usman Lidjal.

Bacalso will be turned over to the court to face charges kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

ARMM history and heirarchy

ARMM’s precursors

• Amid escalating hostilities between government forces and the MNLF in the 1970s, President Marcos issued a proclamation forming an Autonomous Region in the Southern Philippines. However, in a plebiscite, the people opted against it and chose to remain in the existing Western and Central Mindanao regions.
• In 1979, Batas Pambansa No. 20 created the Regional Autonomous Government in Western and Central Mindanao regions.

ARMM history

• The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created a few years after the Aquino administration initiated dialogues with the Moro National Liberation Front to resolve the Muslim secessionist problem.
• ARMM was created in 1989 by virtue of The Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RA 6734). In a plebiscite, only four provinces out of the several areas proposed to be included in ARMM opted to join the area of autonomy: Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
• ARMM conducted its first elections in 1990.