NUJP sounds alarm on death threats vs Catanduanes reporter

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines has hoisted an alarm over an alleged plan to kill a broadcaster in Catanduanes.

 

Marlon Suplig, former news anchor and a reporter for Radyo Peryodiko in Catanduanes, has sought the help of the NUJP after Police Officer 1 Vincent Tarcorda told him that he was supposed to have been killed last November, allegedly on orders of Gov. Joseph Cua.

 

Suplig and slain columnist Larry Que’s widow, Edralyn Pangilinan, filed a complaint before the Department of Justice on May 2 against Tacorda, Cua, Prince Lim Subion–the governor's aide–two still unnamed suspects for Que’s murder last December.

 

Tacorda is the same Catanduanes police officer who surfaced two weeks ago to accuse ranking provincial police officials of extrajudicial killings in the guise of the war on drugs.

 

Suplig said he was able to talk to Tacorda in March. He said that Tacorda told him that there was a plan to kill him and that the police officer had been involved in Que's murder.

 

“Sabi niya, ‘patawarin niyo ako tugang (kapatid), ikaw ang pinapasunod. Kaya lang ‘di ka namin makuha sa Catanduanes,’” Suplig said.

 

Caranduanes News Now columnist Larry Que was shot in Virac, Catanduanes on December 19 and died the day after.

 

Que's murder, the first of a journalist under the Duterte administration, happened soon after he penned a column blaming local officials for the operation of a drug manufacturing laboratory on the island province that authorities described as the largest they had discovered.

 

Gov. Cua has reportedly said that he respected Que despite their differences on many issues.

 

Suplig said Subion began threatening him after he started reporting on the lack of medicines at the Eastern Bicol Medical Center, the alleged construction of structures in Virac even without building permits, and the supposed overpricing of oil products in the province.

 

He also acknowledged criticizing Cua on social media, particularly on Facebook.

On September 16, Suplig said he received private Facebook messages from Subion threatening him with “war” if he did not ease up on criticizing the governor.

 

A screengrab of one message read: “Ready ka na sa giyera na gusto mo? It is coming to you. Pasensiyahan na kita pare. Atuhan mi na ika na iyo man sana dae ka gatunong. Dae man daw kuta kaming atraso sa imo. Ugaring gaagop ka. Kaya pasensiya na sana tabi.” [Are you ready for the war you’re asking for? It is coming to you. No hard feelings. We will hit you because you are not cooperating. We have nothing against you but you’re challenging us. So don’t blame us.]

 

A month later, on October 18, Suplig found his car’s rear and right windows shattered. In the police blotter, he said the incident might be connected to his work in media and named Subion as a possible suspect.

 

It was after this that he relocated to Legazpi in Albay, the NUJP Media Safety Office said.