NUJP: Blogger Nieto possibly committed crime for 'hollow block' comment vs. journo

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Sunday said blogger RJ Nieto may have committed a crime for encouraging presidential spokesperson Harry Roque to throw a hollow block at a journalist.

"There is no other way to see it but this: RJ (Rey Joseph) Nieto encouraged a senior government official on air to throw 'hollow blocks' against a journalist, thereby threatening her, thereby possibly committing a crime," the NUJP said in a statement posted on its Facebook account.

The journalists' group said encouraging the public official during his radio program "Karambola" on dwIZ to throw a hollow block at Rappler's Pia Rañada was "yet another dastardly act committed by blogger and government contractor Nieto."

Rañada said she had filed a complaint against dzIZ with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas over Nieto's comments on air.

The group said it supports Rañada and will also support her if she will file criminal and civil charges against Nieto.

"Clearly, Nieto, in his patent ignorance and arrogance, has crossed more lines. It is time to make him pay for recklessly endangering a working journalist," the NUJP added.

The NUJP, meanwhile, said it was "a shame" that Roque allowed Nieto's comments on air "without calling Nieto's attention that he may be committing a crime."

"But would he really? Wasn’t it Roque himself who told blogger and government official Mocha Uson he would throw hollow blocks at the critics of this administration? Shame," the group added.

Roque had clarified he was speaking to Uson's followers to assure them he got Duterte's back.

He had also ask fellow supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte to stop attacking Rañada and other journalists. —ALG, GMA News