Davao radio broadcaster reveals death threats

MANILA, Philippines - On the very same day President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered protection for him, a Davao City-based radio broadcaster accused of being a communist spokesman received another death threat via text Thursday. Elgin Damasco of dxDC-Radio Mindanao Network said he got the text message while at a meeting with Southern Mindanao regional police head Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango. "Nakatanggap na naman akong text kahapon, saksi mismo si Southern Mindanao regional director Pedro Tango, [I received another text message Thursday, and no less than Chief Superintendent Tango witnessed it]," Damasco said Friday in an interview on dzXL, a sister station of dxDC where he is news director. "Kayo kasi sa media masyado kayong pakialamero masyado kayong nagtapang-tapangan, mabuti [napag-isipan] ninyong mag-leave ... Manahimik ka na lang kung ayaw mong manahimik habang buhay [You in media are too nosy. You act so brave, it is good you went on leave. So just keep quiet or you will be silenced permanently]," he quoted the new text threat as saying. Damasco said he had gone on leave at the time to collect his thoughts and think about his plans for the future, but decided to return to his radio work. He also said that while he is thankful to President Arroyo for ordering protection for him and for ordering the death threats probed, he said government should be serious. Besides, he said there are other journalists like him who are threatened, then are killed when they refuse to heed the warning. "Tayo ay nagpapasalamat sa ginagawang hakbang ng ating pangulo. Sana naman maging seryoso sila at hindi lamang sa salita. Hindi lang ako nakakatanggap ng threat sa ating bansa kundi maraming mamamahayag natin. Unang una threat-threat pa lang hanggang sa matuluyan na talaga," Damasco said. [I am thankful for the President’s order but I hope government goes beyond lip service. I am not the only media practitioner threatened. In many cases, the threats against journalists are carried out.] 'Biased' reporting Damasco earlier claimed getting threats from a local military unit, supposedly for his “biased" reporting favoring the New People’s Army (NPA). He told the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility the supposed text message, sent last March 16, was sent from cell phone number 0905-5075929. The message also mentioned two others who he believes are his co-workers, station manager Dodong Solis and senior anchor Alex Roldan. Last Thursday, Mrs. Arroyo said she ordered Philippine National Police chief Director General Jesus Verzosa to provide security for Damasco and to investigate the threats against him. That very same day, Damasco said he got the new threat while he was meeting with Tango. He said the military may be targeting him because he “exposed" the “abuses" of the military in Davao City’s Paquibato district. The abuses included alleged harassment of civilians and requiring residents to present signed cedulas. Meanwhile, Damasco said Armed Forces of the Philippines chief General Alexander Yano called him Thursday, but he said he did not like the tone of Yano’s voice. He said he told Yano he had always been fair in his broadcast work, getting the side of the military whenever he interviewed someone from the NPA. "Para niyang sinasabi tayo nagpapagamit sa propaganda. Sabi ko kung nagpapagamit kami, di sana ako nag-lie-low kahit sandali [But Yano was insinuating I was involved in propaganda. I told him that if I were being used for propaganda I would not even have taken a leave]" he said. - GMANews.TV