An unidentified man confronted and harassed Manila Today news editor Roy Barbosa on September 3 while he was covering a protest in Malolos, Bulacan.
The protest action was held along with the filing of a motion to dismiss labor activists Ed Cubelo and Rodrigo Esparago and 26 others, who are facing anti-terrorism charges at the Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 12.
According to a report on alternative news site Manila Today, the man did not provide any identification, claiming only to be a “private citizen” and a “vlogger” not based in the area.
When NUJP-NCR asked via phone if the man identified the page, channel or entity that he was blogging for, Barbosa said he did not specify any.
The man also demanded that Barbosa delete his live video report and threatened legal action if Barbosa did not comply.
Barbosa said that lawyer Josa Deinla from the National Union of People’s Lawyers NUPL mediated the confrontation.
The individual insisted on the removal of the video, while Barbosa argued doing so would be self-censorship and that broadcasting the protest was part of his journalistic duty.
The individual repeatedly yelled at, spat on, and even shamed Barbosa’s gender identity while following him and his colleagues as they left the confrontation.
“Naninigaw siya at nanduduro, sabi niya ‘Itong bakla ‘to’,” Barbosa shared via phone.
(He was shouting and using slurs)
The supposed vlogger also claimed to call the local chief of police while continuing to follow Barbosa.
When Barbosa safely reached his vehicle, the activists who held the protest action were intercepted by a police mobile and five police personnel, and by the supposed “vlogger.”
Barbosa later received an anonymous message on Facebook that addressed him by his full name and added:
“Di ka na nagtanda. Mga salot kayong NPA”
(You have not changed. You NPAs are a nuisance)
Barbosa, who is a journalist and who is not a member of the New People’s Army, has faced intimidation and harassment before, especially when reporting on the cases of Cubelo and Esparago.
On July 11, Barbosa received a message from an unknown user via Facebook, stating not to support the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) and the labor activists. Barbosa was also threatened with a legal case.
“Hoy tumigil na kayong sumusuporta sa teroristang grupo CPP-NPA at rekruter nyong si Rodrego Esparago at Ed Cubelo. Hintayin nyo lang den ang kasu sainyo mga salot lahat kayo mauubos din,” the message said in all caps.
(Stop supporting the CPP-NPA terrorist group and the recruiters Rodrego Esparago and Ed Cubelo. Just wait for the cases against you. You are all pests and we will go after all of you)
“As a media practitioner, it is within my responsibility to report on the cases targeted against activists who forward their own causes. For certain state forces and individuals to extend this rampant red-tagging, harassment, and intimidation, especially towards alternative media journalists like me while I am on coverage, further implicates a threat to safety and security, both online and offline,” said Barbosa in his September 3 incident report.
Manila Today condemned the attack on the same day:
“The message is clear: every time the media attempts to report on justice and hold those accountable for the many injustices happening in our country such as union busting, illegal demolitions, forced disappearances, illegal detentions, and arrests of activists and other progressive individuals, journalists are harassed and intimidated.”
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines joins Manila Today in its call to end red-tagging, especially against community journalists.
The recent attack serves to underscore the pattern of attacks against community journalists that have continued under the current administration.
As Manila Today has said, if the administration genuinely advocates for and safeguards press freedom, actions more than proclamations should be taken to curb the baseless and detrimental red-tagging against journalists. (PR)
