US embassy cable - 05MANILA2241

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 002241 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/PMBS, EAP/PD, DRL/CRA, INR/EAP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINS, KPAO, RP 
SUBJECT: MORE JOURNALISTS SLAIN 
 
REF: A. MANILA 1595 
 
     B. MANILA 1151 
     C. MANILA 0312 
     D. 04 MANILA 5853 
 
1.  (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified  -- 
Please handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (SBU) Summary:  Two more journalists have been slain in 
the Philippines in the past two weeks.  This brings to five 
the number of killings of journalists this year, according to 
most sources.  Police appear to be actively investigating the 
latest killings, but no suspects have been arrested as of 
yet.  Malacanang condemned the killings, and is creating a 
special fund meant to facilitate investigations and to 
protect witnesses.  In apparent reaction to the criticism it 
has received domestically and in two recent international 
reports, the GRP seems to be newly aware of the gravity of 
the situation.  Mission continues to emphasize to the GRP the 
need for swift action against those who have perpetrated the 
attacks.  End Summary. 
 
--------------- 
Latest Killings 
--------------- 
 
3.  (U) Killings of journalists in the Philippines are 
continuing at an alarming rate, with the recent murders of 
two more media personnel.  On May 10, two unidentified 
assailants killed Philip Agustin, who was a 
publisher/columnist/reporter for the "Starline Times 
Recorder," a local newspaper, in Dingalan, Aurora Province in 
southern Luzon.  Dingalen City Councilor Valentino Lapuz and 
Agustin's family accused Dingalan Mayor Jaime Ylarde of 
"masterminding" the killing.  On May 11, Agustin was 
scheduled to release 500 reprinted copies of the May 2-8 
issue of the newspaper, which carried stories alleging 
financial irregularities involving Ylarde.  Agustin 
specifically accused the mayor of not moving forward with 
resettlement programs for more than 1,000 families displaced 
by landslides caused by a series of typhoons in 
November-December 2004 (Ref D).  He also accused Ylarde of 
corruptly diverting funds from the city's operating budget 
and calamity funds, and making profit by selling relief goods 
and timber.  Ylarde denied that he was involved in any way in 
the killing. 
 
4.  (U) On May 4, three unidentified men shot and killed 
Klein Cantoneros, a radio broadcaster and journalist for DXAA 
Radio in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte Province in 
Mindanao.  Cantoneros, who frequently criticized local 
officials for alleged corruption and mismanagement of 
government agencies, had received death threats prior to his 
murder. 
 
5.  (U) With the latest two slayings, the National Union of 
Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) reports that five 
journalists have been killed in work-related slayings this 
year in the Philippines. (Note:  The GRP's police "Task Force 
Newsmen" puts the figure at three, asserting that two of the 
murders were not work-related, but the NUJP figure is the 
most widely accepted.)  Four additional journalists have 
survived attempts on their lives since January 1, 2005. 
 
--------------- 
Police Response 
--------------- 
 
6.  (U) The Philippine National Police (PNP) reacted to the 
slayings quickly.  A regional police team in Zamboanga del 
Norte Province was tasked with investigating the Cantoneros 
case and it released an artist's sketch of one of the 
suspects.  PNP Director General Arturo Lomibao removed the 
chief of the Zamboanga del Norte regional police and the 
Dipolog city chief of police from the investigating team at 
the request of the broadcaster's family, which claimed that 
the two officials could not be trusted to investigate the 
crimes impartially.  In the case of Augustin, Lomibao assured 
the victim's family that there would be "swift police action 
to arrest and prosecute the killers."  Police have not yet 
identified any suspects in the case. 
 
7.  (U) The PNP's "Task Force Newsmen," which was formed by 
the GRP last year in response to the wave of killings, 
updated Mission on the progress of their investigations. 
Regarding the case of Marlyne Esperat, the PNP confirmed that 
it has arrested three suspects in connection with the 
killing, and said a fourth suspect had surrendered 
voluntarily.  The Department of Justice has filed murder 
charges against the four in the regional trial court in 
Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat Province, in Mindanao.  (Note: 
Esperat, a well-known journalist in Mindanao, was killed on 
March 24.)  Task Force Newsmen could not confirm that any 
other suspects had been apprehended for the other killings. 
 
---------- 
GRP Reacts 
---------- 
 
8.  (SBU) Reacting to the latest killings, which received a 
high level of press play, the GRP announced that the 
continuing violence against members of the media was a top 
"security" concern for the Philippines.  President Arroyo 
directed Interior and Local Government Secretary Angelo Reyes 
to draw up a plan to solve and prevent the attacks.  GRP 
officials are also meeting with press groups on May 16 to 
discuss ways of solving and preventing the slayings.  At this 
meeting, the GRP will formally announce the creation of a 
"Press Freedom Fund," which will allocate 5 million pesos 
(92,600 USD) to create a "quick reaction" team that will 
investigate cases, offer rewards for information leading to 
the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators, and upgrade the 
PNP's witness protection program.  The money for the fund is 
being donated from the coffers of Malacanang and the House 
Speaker. 
 
9.  (U) Several senators have also raised concerns about the 
killings.  Manuel Villar, chairman of the Senate Committee on 
Public Order, proposed a resolution that would instruct the 
Committee to conduct an inquiry and to recommend policy 
measures meant to protect press freedom.  Bong Revilla, Jr., 
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and 
Mass Media, also expressed alarm over the recent violence 
against the press.  He challenged police leaders to take full 
responsibility for the investigation and to "hunt down" the 
perpetrators.  Senator Revilla also appealed to the public to 
help the authorities solve the cases by volunteering 
information that would expedite their resolution. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
10.  (SBU) In apparent reaction to the criticism it has 
received on the issue domestically and in two recent 
international reports, the Philippine government appears 
newly aware of the gravity of the situation.  (Note: 
"Reporters Without Borders" issued a report on the situation 
in early May, as did the "Committee to Protect Journalists," 
which characterized the Philippines as "the most dangerous 
place in the world" for media personnel.)  The NUJP says it 
continues to worry about the situation and hopes that the 
latest killings will spur GRP efforts to get to the bottom of 
the string of attacks, which have gone on for years now. 
(Note:  Since 1986, over 60 media personnel have been slain 
in the Philippines, and there has only been one conviction.) 
At this point, it is important that the GRP ratchet up the 
pressure on the police to follow up on any and all leads, and 
bring charges where that is justified.  Mission continues to 
emphasize to the GRP the need for the swift apprehension of 
those who have perpetrated the attacks. 
MUSSOMELI