Davao broadcasters receive threats- CMFR

MANILA, Philippines - Two Davao City-based radio broadcasters have received death threats after reporting on alleged extortion activities involving local government officials, a media watchdog group said Friday. Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) cited an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer identifying the two as Erin Lumosbog and James Pala. The CMFR article was posted on the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (www.ifex.org). Lumosbog works for Radio Philippines Network's dxKT-Radyo Ronda Davao while Pala works with dxAM-Radyo Rapido. The two said they received threats on their mobile phones telling them to stop discussing alleged extortion activities by local councilors in Santa Cruz town in Davao del Sur. "If you will not stop doing commentaries on the Santa Cruz issue, bullets might force you to stop," the report quoted the text messages as saying. Lumosbog tried calling the numbers used to send him the threats but they had been deactivated. CMFR said Lumosbog claimed the threats came after he discussed on his radio program allegations by a local businessman that some members of the town council asked him for P1.2 million in exchange for their approval of his request to quarry. The businessman raised only P480,000 and his request was denied. The businessman approached the media for help when the councilors allegedly refused to return his P480,000. Lumosbog said he continues to discuss the issue in his radio program but said he is taking precautionary measures. "If we let the threats affect us, our radio program will be ruined," he said. But he said he has scaled back his field work and is staying in a "safe house." "We have been asking the councilors to explain their side," Lumosbog said in Filipino. But he said the councilors seem to be avoiding the media. "When we went to see the councilors who were named, they suddenly disappeared from the session hall," he said. An investigation is ongoing into the extortion allegations in the town, the CMFR said. - GMANews.TV