by Bernadine A. Gabawan
Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, 23, Feb – The municipality of Bayog has no problem on its peace and order. It is only the works of some irresponsible journalists which made us appear to be in bad state.
Irresponsible reporting of journalists… most of the time, they bombarded us in prints and on air. We feel bad because no matter how our administration do its best to achieve our mission for our clienteles, bad press releases try to destroy us.
A call from the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) register in my phone at 12:58pm of February 20, 2012. They want to check the veracity of the information they got about 10 journalists who were allegedly hostage in our area.
I checked the report at Bayog-Philippine National Police station. According to the officer-in-charge, they too received the same information which prompted their personnel to immediately proceed to TVI Resource Development, Inc. to verify the report. The latter told us that there is no truth on that matter.
At 12:00 noon of the same date, PNP-Bayog personnel proceeded to Sitio Balabag, Barangay Depore to check the veracity of the said report. Along the way, at Sitio Malagac, Depore in particular, they met the group of mediamen and asked them if they were really taken hostage but they replied “NO.” The reason why they were not able to proceed to the area, because one of the Special Citizens Active Auxilliary (SCAA) personnel assigned in the area told them that the road is not passable due to a landslide that occurred in some portion of that road.
The said group disclosed to the PNP that they reached Sitio Balabag at around 1:00am on February 20, 2012 to monitor an alleged demolition of illegal mining structures.
As alleged by Jong Cadion, President, NUJP Zamboanga del Sur chapter, when they were about to move out from the said area, one of the SCAA told them they “cannot” as per instruction, which prompted them to send text messages that they were held hostage.
Further, they were told that two six by six Army trucks under LtCol Nasser Pendatun arrived to rescue them but they refused to ride on it.
It was about 3:00pm, when nine members of the group decided to leave the area while two of them left behind; Efren Superal and Michael Navarro.
The PNP did not end their investigation with these details. Instead, at 5:00pm they went to the residence of Hon. Julieto Monding, SB Member of Bayog in Buug, of the same province to get some information about the incident. From this municipal official, they were able to get the names of the group.
National Union of Journalist of the Philippines:
1.
Hi Hirohito “Jong” Cadion, President/Frontline Mindanao Balita
2. Efren Superal, Frontline Mindanao Balita
3. Gretchen Mondoy, Frontline Mindanao Balita
4. Vira Angelie Moriesto, Frontline Mindanao Balita
5. Emayflor Intig, Frontline Mindanao Balita
6. Jojo Besandre, DXKV-FM
7. Lito Pedrano, DXWO-FM
8. Tony Bayamban, Mindanao Biznews
9. Judy Cogo, Mindanao Biznews
10. Michael Navarro, Human Rights Defender
11. Edgar Baling, Human Rights Defender
To sum up the group is composed of 11 individuals; nine mediamen and two human rights defenders.
The group was fetched by the Philippine Army but they refuse to ride on it. Was that because they wanted to make it appear as they were taken hostages?
Now that LGU-Bayog has aired its side, this is the right time that the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) and other concerned agencies must investigate on the veracity of the alleged hostage taking.
LGU-Bayog believes that this malicious propaganda was initiated by those who have their own personal motives; persons who deliberately waste their time to tarnish Bayog’s hard-earned image.
This municipality condemns such lame attacks against Mayor Leonardo Babasa’s governance. It is disappointing that the said pseudo hostage victims who are expected to be vanguards of truth become avenues for manipulated and false info to spread. (BAG/MIO-Bayog,ZDS)