DILG probes Kalinga gov’s ‘assault’ on radioman

(Updated 3:23 p.m.) The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Thursday launched an investigation into the alleged assault by the governor of Kalinga province against a local radio anchor. DILG secretary Jesse Robredo told GMA News Online that his agency's regional office in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has already been tasked to investigate Gov. Jocel Baac, who along with several companions reportedly barged into the radio booth of dzRK-Radio ng Bayan-Kalinga on Tuesday and hit anchor Jerome Tabanganay in the mouth with a microphone. Robredo also said police security from the CAR Police Office has already been detailed to ensure Tabanganay's safety and secure the radio station. "Kumuha tayo sa regional police at hindi lang basta sa provincial police, para wala nang duda (We tapped the regional police and not the provincial police to prevent doubts from being cast)," he said. He said he would be expecting a report from the DILG-CAR in a week's time. Due process In Malacañang, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Aquino government will not tolerate media harassment. He said Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma's instruction to Robredo was to conduct an "objective and impartial" investigation. "You can be assured of an objective investigation in the process," Lacierda said at a press briefing. Robredo, meanwhile, said due process will be given to Baac. "Details of the attack [are] already in the news. But until now, we have yet to hear his [Baac's] side of the story," he said. Robredo said his department will be giving "special attention" to the incident "not because a media person was involved, but more importantly because a governor, a public official, was involved." In case the investigating body finds Baac at fault, Robredo said Tabanganay could file criminal and administrative charges against the governor before the Office of the Ombudsman or before the DILG and the Department of Justice. According to police reports, Baac scolded Tabanganay before hitting him with a microphone. A statement from the National Union of Journalists of the Philippine (NUJP) claimed that Baac even threatened to kill the radio man. But a report on GMA News' late-night newscast "Saksi" on Tuesday said Baac has denied the attack and claimed Tabanganay was his friend. The newscast even showed a video footage of Tabanganay airing his commentaries when the governor entered the announcer's booth. After the confrontation, Tabanganay reportedly returned to the booth and announced the attack. [See video below.]
Tabanganay had already survived an assassination attempt on May 19 last year following his on-air criticisms against the resurgence of the illegal numbers game, jueteng, in the province, the NUJP said. Right before the alleged assault, Tabanganay was discussing an altercation between the governor and dzRK station manager Basilio Baluyan last Monday. Baac was allegedly demanding Baluyan to do something about a report about an attempted burning of the radio station. Lacierda said he was surprised with Baac's actuation when he saw a video footage of the incident. "Nabigla po ako nakita ko po yung bigla pong pumasok si governor. But again mas nais po natin na magkaraoon ng investigation at magkaroon ng kaliwanagan, utusan na magpaliwanag si governor at ipakita din ang panig ng reporter. We want an investigation and resolution for his untoward incident," he said. — with Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News