6May 201'3

II ROXAS MANUEL SECRETARY Government Local and Interior of the Department ALANPURISIMA GENERAL CC:DIRECTOR Police National Philippine Chief,

Roxas: DearSecretary arrestedlast 3 May 2013 and The chief of police of Dipolog City, Supt.ReynaldoMaclang, making libelous comments' supposedly detained radio broadcasterRodolfo Tanquis for Two of Maclang'smen forced Tanquis to come with them to the Dipolog police station they claimed,they were filing a libel complaint againsthim. No such complaint because, had beenfiled againstTanquisat the time of his arrestand detention. Maclangand his men had forcibly entered the booth of station DXFL FM BB.9 during also clearedhimselfon the air of the door. Maclang Tanquis'blocktimeprogram and locl<ed of unresolvedkillingsin the city number for the that he was responsible Tanquis'allegation then slammed from enteringthe booth. Maclang while his men were preventingtechnicians for libel. him suing he was pistol on the booth panel,and told Tanquis his .45 cal. Service without benefit of a warrant and his detentioneven beforea libel complaint Tanquis'arrest had been filed againsthim is a clearviolation of his rights.It is also brazenabuseof power Tanquis' "offense"was to suggestthat the number of unresolved on the part of Maclang. killings could be blamed on the police-an opinion to which, both as citizen and he is entitled, and which, given police responsibilityover law and order, is broadcaster, eminentlyreasonable. Maclangclaims that he merely "invited" Tanquis to the station, a claim belied by the and contradictedby his continuing obviousintimidation to which Tanquiswas subjected, to hold Tanquisin the Dipologpolicestationuntil the afternoonof Saturdayof May 4, when a libel complainthad been filed againsthim and he had filed bail,

MakatiCity 1227 Village, Salcedo 130 H.V dela CostaStreet, SchoolsSalcedo, AteneoProfessional Floor, 2nd / 840-0903Telefax:840-0889 | 894-1326 894'1314 Telephone: il.org iLorg' Emai|: staff@cmfr-ph cmfr-ph : http//www. Website

W e u r g e y o u t o r e p r i m a n d ,a n d f i l e t h e n e c e s s a r a ydministrative and other cases against M a c l a n ga , n d t o s u s p e n dh i m f o r t h i s o u t r a g e ,w h i c h , i n t h e c o n t e x t o f t h e c o n t i n u i n g d a n g e rt o t h e l i v e so f j o u r n a l i s t s a n d m e d i aw o r k e r si n t h e P h i l i p p i n e s a n d t h e a t t e n t i o ni t has earned from international media and human rights watch groups, has severely damaged the Philippines r'e p u t a t i o n asa democracy.

Yours sincerely,
"') (' '--('--

M E L I N D AQ U I N T O S DE Executive Director f o r C e n t e r M e d i aF r e e d o m and llesponsibility

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