Armed group threatens media against covering CPP anniversary

From the Philippine News Agency (Dec 26): Armed group threatens media against covering CPP anniversary

An armed group based in Mindanao threatened members of the media who will cover the 47th Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) anniversary today, Dec. 26.

The threat was reportedly sent through a text message from a certain Magahat Bagani's leader, Bobby Tejero.

Tejero warned journalists against covering the event otherwise they will be ambushed if they attend the CPP's anniversary somewhere in the hinterlands of Mindanao.

He said the media practitioners who would cover the event only showed they were supporting the communist movement, thus, they are enemies of the Magahat Bagani which is said to be an anti-communist lumad group.

Tejero was one of those accused of murdering a school head in Surigao and two other lumad leaders several months ago.

Tejero and two other leaders of Magahat Bagani identified as Loloy Tejero and Garilo Laylo were charged of the killings.

Tejero's text message reads:

 

Tejero’s text read:

 

“Maayong adlaw sa tanang media sa mindanao,among ipahibalo nga kung kinsa man ang magtambong sa anibersaryo sa CPP/NPA/NDF nga taga media among apilon ug ambush.Kay kun mutambong sa maong anibersaryo nagpasabot nga linya sa NPA,mao ng kinahanglan walay magtungas nga media arun dili maapil sa gira.

 

Gira nga NPA batok sa armadong lumad MAGAHAT..walay labot ang kasundalohan ug mga police ky amo ra kining bangi TRIBU bersus NPA.daghan salamat!!#Nagpahibalo Bobby Tejero commander sa MAGAHAT..

 

Palihog ipakalat sa tibook mindanao (Good day to all media in Mindanao. I am informing those in the media who will be attending the anniversary of the CPP-NPA-NDF, we will not spare you from our ambush because those who will attend means you are with the NPA and so media need not go there so you will not be included in the war. The war of the NPA versus the armed lumad MAGAHAT...the Army soldiers and the police are not included in this war because this is a war between us the tribe and NPA. Many thanks!!! )." Tejero ended his text message with a call to spread the information in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the Military and Police were informed of the threat but the spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, Alberto Caber, said he knows nothing of the information.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=841412