JOURNALISTS THREAT | News5 journalists Lingao, de Veyra say online threat meant to ‘harass journalists’

October 12, 2022 , 10:38 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(October 12, 2022) – A tweet has made claims that two News5 journalists might be assassinated next after the killing of a radio commentator in Las Piñas last week, which the two broadcasters described as intended to “harass journalists.”

News5 and CignalTV journalists Ed Lingao and Lourd de Veyra said it is not yet clear to them if the person who made the tweet could pose an actual physical threat, but the claim meant that they needed to “err on the side of caution.”

“Nevertheless, I think it is important to emphasize na ang mga taong ganiyan ay nagsasayang lang ng oras,” Lingao said in a statement. “Matagal na kaming takot. Pero nandito pa rin kami.”

On Tuesday, Lingao posted on Facebook raising concerns about a tweet made by a certain “Seth Corteza” last October 4, claiming that he and de Veyra will be assassinated next based on an alleged “contract.”

The name Seth Corteza was taken from an obscure 1996 movie of action movie actor Ace Vergel.

The tweet was made a day after radio commentator Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa was fatally shot by two unknown assailants on a motorcycle in Las Piñas.

Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said law enforcement authorities are ready to provide support to Lingao and de Veyra and track down the owner of the Twitter account who made the post.

“Our office is always open for journalists if there is any threat at all. Just let us know. That is a priority,” Abalos said.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) also said they will seek to reach out to the involved parties, explore preventive measures and offer assistance to the affected journalists.

“The [CHR] remains firm in its stance to defend the free press and calls for the protection of all media workers in the country. We do not and cannot take lightly any threats or any allusions to harm the lives of journalists, regardless if such statements are deliberate or cursory,” the office said in a statement.

(MM | With reports from Bryan Castillo, News5)

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