Show of Support. Colleagues demand justice for Radyo Natin Compostela Broadcaster Roel Sembrano, who was allegedly mauled by Compostela Valley Provincial Board Member Neri Barte while he was in the middle of a live on Oct. 24. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)
Sembrano said Barte, with wife and daughter, had barged into the radio
station and physically attacked and threatened him while he was in
the midst of his program, “Haring Lungsod, Ikaw ang Nasayod.”
He said he criticized Barte on the air for promising to give out 50
sacks of cement from the provincial government if candidate Jaime
Blanco for barangay captain will win in the barangay election, when an
angry Barte arrived.
Sembrano said Barte slammed the glass wall of the announcers booth,
before he entered and confronted him. “Unsay problema nako sa imoha?
(What’s my problem with you?)” Sembrano said Barte asked, before he
punched him. “Relax lang, tubag lang diha karun. Open mike ni sya.
(Just relax, you’ll be given time to answer. This is ‘open mike),”
Sembrano answered but then, Barte’s wife and daughter followed inside
the announcer’s booth, and tried to grab the microphone.
A slight commotion followed, where Barte’s wife and daughter started
fighting Sembrano but when he tried to stop them, Barte drew out his
gun and threatened him.
Sembrano said he was also doused with cold water. He said Barte got
hold of a trophy with an eagle design and hit him with it, resulting
to the bruises on his face.
Interviewed by a Davao city radio station, Barte had said he only did
it to protect his family’s reputation which Sembrano allegedly wanted
to tarnish.
“What happens to Sembrano is a matter of concern to all journalists
because the one who did it is a public official whose actions must be
open to public scrutiny; and that it is part of the job of every
journalist to examine,” the statement said.
“That the official in question attacked a journalist right in the
announcer’s booth and on air is simply intolerable. An announcer’s
booth is to a broadcaster what a pulpit is to a priest.”
Attacked. Radyo Natin Compostela Broadcaster Roel Sembrano files his complaint against Compostela Valley Provincial Board Member Neri Barte before the Office of the Ombudsman in Mindanao. (davaotoday.com photo by Barry Ohaylan)
“As practicing journalists, we believe that our profession does not
lack proper forum, where Barte can ventilate whatever complaints he
might have on Sembrano. But instead, he showed brazen disrespect on
the rights of Sembrano as a person, and abused and threatened him
right in a place, where as a broadcaster, Sembrano is supposed to
carry out his role as “watchdog” of democracy.”
Actions of public officials like Barte are dangerous. It is the kind
of mentality that threatens the democracy that we vowed to protect.
Such acts of a public official must be condemned, not only by the
media as a sector, but also by fellow public officials.
Sembrano’s attack came two days before the attempted slay try of two
radio blocktimers Malran Malnegro and Ruben Oliverio in Digos, Davao
del Sur. The two radio blocktimers were on a motorcycle from Radyo
Ukay when men on motorcycles fired at them and missed. (Germelina
Lacorte/davaotoday.com)
