Tne National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has expressed grave concern over the increasing harassment of journalists who are covering the election campaign and asked the candidates to call for calm among their supporters.
NUJP chairman Ryan Rosauro said that in their monitoring of the plight of journaslits in the campaign trail, they “note a pattern of harassments perpetrated by supporters of Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrrigo Duterte.”
They cited the following incidents:
• Vera Files editor Ellen Tordesillas was bullied in social media for her effort to verify the existence of the assailed BPI bank account of Mayor Duterte;
• Alleging biased reporting, supporters harassed numerous times ABS-CBN reporter Raffy Santos while following Duterte in the campaign trail;
• Jacque Manabat was cursed by a supporter after a man identified her as an ABS-CBN reporter;
• A camera crew of ABS-CBN reporter Doris Bigornia was thrown punches during a coverage;
• On Friday morning, May 6, a wreath was laid outside the ABS-CBN station in Davao City bearing the words: “RIP ABS-CBN”;
• There have been calls in social media for an “occupy ABS-CBN” in Davao and Cagayan de Oro cities; and
• There have been numerous posts in social media inciting hate and anger, especially against ABS-CBN reporters.
