November 5, 2017
There is no other way to see it but this: RJ (Rey Joseph) Nieto encouraged a senior government official on air to throw “hollow blocks” against a journalist, thereby threatening her, thereby possibly committing a crime.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines condemns yet another dastardly act committed by blogger and government contractor Nieto when he said on air over DWIZ882 recently:
NIETO: Pero, sir, kahit isang hollow block, magbalibag naman kayo, sir. Para, ano lang, pakagat lang, ganoon. [Laughs]
SEC. HARRY ROQUE: Pero pipiliin din ang target. [Overlapping voices]
NIETO: Kasi, ako po, si Pia na lang po. Si Pia Rañada, sir.
Ranada rightfully called the station out twice on her Twitter account @piaranada last November 3.
“I’m calling out @dwiz882 for letting one of their hosts, RJ Nieto, ask Presidential Spox Harry Roque to throw a hollow block at me on air.”
“Whether or not he meant it literally, it’s a threat. Why is a KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas)-recognized radio station allowing its hosts to threaten journalists?”
It is such a shame that newly-appointed Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque—a lawyer, a self-styled human rights defender, and, until very-recently, a lawmaker—allowed this on air exchange between him and without calling Nieto’s attention that he may be committing a crime. But would he really?
Wasn’t it Roque himself who told blogger and government official Mocha Uson he would throw hollow blocks at the critics of this administration? Shame.
It is such a disgrace that a person like Nieto is allowed air time by a respectable radio station as it is very doubtful that Nieto himself is Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP)-accredited at the time of the said broadcast. We therefore call on Aliw Broadcasting Corporation and KBP to do what is right given all these.
We support our colleague Pia and will support criminal and civil charges she may decide to file against Nieto. We encourage her outfit Rappler to assist Pia in her pursuit of justice.
We also call on the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to look into this case.
Clearly, Nieto, in his patent ignorance and arrogance, has crossed more lines. It is time to make him pay for recklessly endangering a working journalist. #
Reference:
Atty. Jo Clemente, Acting Chair
Dabet Panelo, Secretary General
NUJP Hotline: 0917 515 5991
