Alert - Philippines
20 November 2000
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter sent to Filipino Minister of Interior Alfredo Lim, RSF expressed its concern after the murder
of Olipio "Jun" Jalapit, journalist and broadcaster with the private radio station DXPR in Pagadian, in the province of
Zamboanga (Mindanao Island, south of the country). The press freedom organisation asked the minister to "intervene
personally in order that the security services may identify the person responsible for
this killing". RSF asked to be kept informed of progress in the inquiry.
"The journalist had received death threats a short time before his murder," noted Robert Ménard, RSF's
secretary-general.
According to information collected by RSF, on 17 November 2000, Jalapit,
broadcaster for several programmes of the private radio station DXPR, was murdered in front of a school in Pagadian
City. An unidentified person opened fire on the journalist and his driver before making a getaway. Jalapit was killed by
a bullet in the neck. His driver was not injured in the attack. According to the authorities, the broadcaster had "many
enemies" because of his programmes, in which he denounced corruption in the province. He recently investigated the
disappearance of funds from an educational foundation. His colleagues said he received threats after these programmes.
DXPR is part of the RMN radio network, based in Manila. DXPR broadcasts to Pagadian City and the south-west of Mindanao
Island.
For further information, contact Vincent Brossel at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy
Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: asie@rsf.fr Internet:
http://www.rsf.fr
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PACIFIC MEDIA WATCH ONLINE: http://www.pmw.c2o.org