A BROADCASTER and block-time host was injured after four masked men attacked him outside a radio station in La Paz, Iloilo City, Thursday morning.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter said Florencio “Flo” Hervias was about to leave DYRI RMN Iloilo station after hosting his program when the incident happened.
“Hervias had just exited the building where the radio station is located when the men who were wearing hoodies stopped him before beating him up.
They were apparently waiting for the broadcaster to come down from the building and pretended to be garbage collectors,” it said.
The group condemned the attack, saying it shows assaults against media workers in the Philippines have become more brazen. The assault happened three days after broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was gunned down in Las Piñas City, Metro Manila.
“We call on the Philippine National Police to act on its assurance of protecting journalists and upholding the freedom of the press by swiftly and decisively apprehending the assailants and all others involved and filing the appropriate charges,” it added.
NUJP Iloilo also called on colleagues for a united front to defend press freedom and stand by their sworn duty to hold those in power accountable.
