CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – Renz Barbarona, a Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) reporter, was up early on Monday, August 26, to check the situation at a section of Carlos P. Garcia Highway near the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC) compound in Buhangin, Davao. She recorded a video of her report, which was posted on DXDC-RMN’s Facebook page.
Accompanied by a fellow media worker, she walked past at least two groups of police officers with ease after they identified themselves as reporters.
Meters away, a barricade had been set up by followers of fugitive preacher Apollo Quiboloy, who had occupied the area since the night before to protest ongoing police operations aimed at capturing their revered leader and several others inside the KOJC compound.
Barbarona and her companion had to stop, show identification, and negotiate with those on guard to gain entry and get close to a group of protesters who were praying and worshiping.
The woman who allowed them in had only one request: Don’t be biased. The reporter assured her that they always strive to be objective in their reporting.
There had been previous incidents of KOJC members doing worse — heckling and yelling at journalists, calling them “biased media” outside the religious group’s 30-hectare property.
The situation worsened on Monday night, hours after police breached a barricade set up by pro-Quiboloy protesters and began arresting KOJC members.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) sounded the alarm as Quiboloy’s followers started harassing a group of journalists covering the standoff between KOJC and police, while authorities continued to disperse street protesters and their search for the pastor and several of his associates wanted on charges of child abuse and trafficking.
The NUJP said journalists from Davao-based MindaNews, Newsline Philippines, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and state-run PTV News were reportedly prevented from covering the ongoing protest.
The group reported that objects were thrown at the news crews while a crowd told the journalists to leave and shouted that they were “biased.”
A video posted on MindaNews showed journalist Edith Caduaya of Newsline losing her temper and telling KOJC leaders to control their followers.
“Nagsisisigaw kayo ng tulong sa media. Ngayon na nandito kami, sinisigawan ninyo kami! … Pinagbabato ninyo kami” exclaimed Caduaya.
(You were shouting for help from the media. Now that we’re here, you’re yelling at us! … You’ve been throwing things at us!)
Earlier in the day, a One News reporter was driven away by protesters, according to the NUJP, citing another video.
It wasn’t just ordinary KOJC members who vented their ire on the media. For instance, a news conference called by Quiboloy’s lawyer, Israelito Torreon, was interrupted when Eleanor Cardona, KOJC executive secretary, criticized the media for being biased and “bayaran” (paid hacks).
“Puwede bang magpakatotoo kayo for once? Puwede bang magpakatotoo ang mga media kahit ngayon lang? … Kung hindi ninyo kami pagbibigyan, konsensya niyo na rin kung babaliktarin pa rin ninyo ang balita!” Cardona exclaimed as reporters watched her meltdown, while Torreon, with his head bowed, fiddled with his phone.
(Can you be truthful for once? Can the media be truthful just this once? … If you won’t grant our request, it’s on your conscience if you still twist the news!)
Froilan Gallardo, president of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC), expressed concern over reports that supporters of Quiboloy have begun targeting journalists and viewing them as enemies.
Gallardo said he was worried that journalists in Davao could be caught in the crossfire if the situation worsens.
The NUJP called for calm “amid these tense times,” reminding the groups in the standoff “that media is not the enemy.”
“Attacking media workers will hurt individual practitioners but will not help communicate the issues raised at these protests,” part of the NUJP statement read.
The media organization also advised journalists covering the standoff to report incidents of harassment to their newsrooms and authorities for documentation.
“We call on newsrooms and the government — at both the national and local levels — to ensure media workers’ safety from unwarranted attacks as they are only there to cover the news. Given the security risks faced by our colleagues, we also remind news managers and teams on the ground to implement their safety protocols, including plans for withdrawal if tensions escalate,” the NUJP stated. – Rappler.com