DAVAO CITY – A Manila-based group of journalists condemned the red-tagging and sexual harassment of a reporter by one of the lawyers in the case involving retired Army General Jovito Palparan related to the disappearance of two UP students.
Janess Ann Ellao, was reportedly covering the hearings in Malolos, Bulacan on Wednesday when she was approached by lawyer Bonifacio Alentajan who wanted to be interviewed.
Alentajan is the lawyer of Staff Sergeant Edgardo Osorio, who is one of the accused in the enforced disappearance case of Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. They were charged with serious illegal detention and kidnapping.
Alentajan allegedly started touching Ellao’s elbow and right arm causing her to move away.
The lawyer was quoted by Bulatlat.com as shouting “you listen!” to Ellao as she is “not paying attention”.
The lawyer continued to yell at Ellao and called her “impolite” after asking why he was shouting.
“After the incident, a reporter overheard Alentajan telling his fellow lawyers ‘P*****-i**, yung reporter na yun leftist naman’ (Son of a b*tch, that reporter is a leftist),” said Altermidya, a national network of alternative media outfits.
Benjie Oliveros, editor of Bulatlat.com and spokesperson of Altermidya, said “tagging a journalist a leftist is dangerous.”
“In this country, red baiting is tantamount to becoming a target by state security forces. Many of the victims of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and other forms of human rights violations were declared as ‘enemies of the state,’” he said.
Oliveros said that during the Macapagal-Arroyo regime, Bulatlat.com, along with other media groups, was tagged as “enemies of the state” by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
“We remind Alentajan that many victims of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and other forms of human rights violations had been so tagged, as his own clients know so well,” said Altermidya in a statement on Thursday.
“We condemn both the red-tagging and sexual harassment on our reporter,” Oliveros said.
“We will not be cowed by any form of harassment. We are only doing our job as journalists – to tell the truth and provide space for those whose voices have been muted,” Oliveros said.
The group also called on the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to investigate Alentajan “for his sexist and unprofessional conduct.” (davaotoday.com)
