Reporter Julia's Notes

The Brave Vhema

julia66 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 03:06:01 +0000

BONGAO, TAWI-TAWI — I didn’t expect to see Vhema Antham here after her ordeal last year. She is the same Vhema I met few years ago when I was covering the loads of arrival of illegal Filipino migrant deported from Malaysia in this forsaken wharf.

Vhema is still a fighter, still the bubbly smart woman although I noticed that she kept on scratching her wound on her arm. That’s one of the many bullets that supposed to silence her and Enteng.

She survived the ambush, abandoned this town and hid in Metro Manila for a while hoping her case will see a light during the prosecution process. But it never happened.

She decided to return here to follow up personally the case, yet one of the suspects is still at large.

I remember her once telling me that she wanted to arm herself, “in the place like Bongao, the best protection is a hand gun.”

But during our meeting and sort of organizing for NUJP chapter here in her temporary home, she admitted that “even if I hide under my bed, if its my time to die, I will really die.”

Vhema is excited to put up a chapter here hoping that a presence of organized and united broadcasters and radio reporters, “will send a strong message that we are not easily cowed by attackers.”

In her return, Vhema brought her entire family and her husband served as her close-in escort and bodyguard. Her children are all in the care of her parents in law.

KIDNAPPING OR EXTORTION?

julia66 — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 02:31:47 +0000

PNP Sulu Director Sr. Supt. Julasirim Kasim called last night.

Sensing his tone, he’s a bit worried .

I asked what troubling him.

He told me that Task Force Comet chief Brig. General Juancho Sabban sort of “dressed him down.”

Why?

Because Sabban objected to the word “kidnapping” for the six individuals taken by the suspected Abu Sayyaf Group under Gafur Jumdail on April 8, 2008 at Kulasi village in Maimbung town, Sulu.

“Dapat daw extortion yun, kasi wala namang involved na ransom,” Kasim explained recalling his talks with Sabban.

“Sana ma-correct mo yung report,” Kasim added in a pleading tone.

I don’t know but something struck me that I returned the same question to the police chief.

“Sir, what if I was taken by these people that authorities identified as Abu Sayyaf and I was held for more than two days, divested all my properties, then released me after several persuasion from relatives, is that extortion or kidnapping?”

What if police or military took me and detained me for more than two days, definitely my relatives may seek help or file “Writ of Amparo.”

Kasim admitted that the incident is kidnapping but it seems that military in Sulu under Sabban would like to dismiss the two incidents of abduction as extortion.

This Sabban would like to paint a different image of Sulu, he wanted to project an image of a rainbow in that God forsaken conflict areas when the reality is… you might simply end up as hostage for a day or two and military will dismiss the case as extortion.

I told Kasim that he being the police officer knows better about laws and enforcement and kidnapping is the appropriate label for the crime committed by the Jumdail’s group and not extortion, that is… unless Sabban has came out with fresh glossary of terms.

Number Of Journalists Killed Up 244 Percent Over Five Years, Media Watchdog Says

julia66 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:42:47 +0000

Published: January 02, 2008 10:10 AM ET
PARIS The number of reporters killed on the job has risen 244 percent over the past five years, due in large part to the Iraq war, Reporters Without Borders said Wednesday.

More than half of the 86 journalists killed worldwide last year died in Iraq, the Paris-based media watchdog said. In 2002, by comparison, 25 journalists were killed worldwide, and the number has risen steadily since, it said.

All but one of the 47 reporters killed in Iraq last year were Iraqi nationals — most of them “deliberately targeted,” the group said. The only foreigner was a Russian reporter.

“No country has ever seen more journalists killed than Iraq,” the group said. At least 207 media workers have died in the country since the U.S.-led invasion in March 2003, it said.

Other deadly countries for journalists in 2007 included Somalia, with eight reporters killed; Pakistan, with six deaths; and Sri Lanka, with three.

Worldwide, at least 887 journalists were arrested in 2007, the group said. China had more reporters behind bars than any other country, with 33 journalists in jail there last year, it said. Cuba came in second, with 24 journalists imprisoned in 2007.

China also led the list of countries that censored the Internet in 2007. The Chinese government shut down about 2,500 Web sites, blogs and forums during the Communist Party congress in October, Reporters Without Borders said.

Worldwide, at least 2,676 Web sites were shut down, largely for political reasons, the report said.

Another media watchdog, the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists, put the number of media workers killed in 2007 at 134. Their figure included both journalists and those who help them do their jobs.

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which uses stricter definitions, said in December that 64 journalists in 17 countries were killed in 2007.

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julia66 — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 07:29:39 +0000

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