H.E. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
President
Malacanang Palace
Manila
Republic of the Philippines
Fax: (011.63.2) 735-6152
Your Excellency:
It is with sadness and grave concern that we of the Overseas Press Club of America (OPC) write you again to deplore yet another murder of a journalist in your country, this time, just before Christmas of 2006. The OPC, as you know, is an organization of international journalists that for more than sixty-five years has fought to protect the fundamental right of democratic societies to enjoy a free and open press.
On December 21st, the world heard of the stabbing to death of radio station reporter, Andres Acosta, of JC Aksyon Radyo, who collapsed on his motorcycle after suffering wounds to his head and body. In Batac, where this happened, Police Chief Bienvenido Rayco said Mr. Acosta had been receiving death threats. No further details have emerged.
We have written often in the past few years to protest abuses of the press in the Philippines. Most recently, in September of 2006, we wrote of three murders in 2006, urging you to take forceful and productive action against this culture of brutality and murder of our colleagues. We spoke then of the murders of Fernando Batul, George Vigo and his wife, Mazel, and Armando Pace.
Madame President, you have often condemned the endless string of murders and assaults on journalists in the Philippines. We ask you again to back these words with real actions by your police and court officials to defend your countrymen and your country from these vicious murders, and to act to find and condemn the murderers.
We request the courtesy of a reply.
Respectfully yours,
Jacqueline Albert-Simon Larry Martz
Freedom of the Press Committee
cc:
Ignacio R. Bunye
Office of the Press Secretary
Arlegui Guest House
Malacanang Palace
Manila
Republic of the Philippines
Willy Gaa
Ambassador of the Philippines to the U.S.A.
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines
1600 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Fax: (202) 467-9417
Ambassador Lauro L. Baja, Jr.
Permanent Representative
Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines
to the United Nations
556 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10036
Fax: (212) 840-8602
Kristie A. Kenney
US Ambassador to the Philippines
Embassy of the United States of America
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Manila
Philippines
Fax: (011.63.2) 522-4361
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