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NUJP hits Nueva Ecija dad for harassment

BAGUIO CITY (July 1) — The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) condemned Nueva Ecija board member Napoleon Interior for allegedly attempting to harm freelance journalist Carlos D. Marquez Jr. on Wednesday inside a comfort room at a restaurant in Cabanatuan City. Interior represents the 4th district to the provincial board.

Marquez in his “alert report” to the NUJP National Office said he felt harassed when on June 28, Interior locked him up at the comfort room of a restaurant and interrogated him on matters he had no knowledge of while the legislator’s armed bodyguards reportedly waited outside the door.

Marquez said his fellow journalists Tony Concepcion, publisher of the Nueva Ecija based newspaper Diaryo Bravo, Celso Cajucom of the Manila Times, Ver Sta. Ana of Remate forced open the door of the comfort room. He could have been beaten black and blue, Marquez said.

Before the incident, Marquez and his four colleagues were discussing journalism matters at the Charcoal Grill Bar and Restaurant in Cabanatuan City, when Interior joined their table. Marquez said the group offered the official a drink. “Cajucom, trying perhaps to involve him in our discussion, asked what occupied Interior at present in the provincial board,” the journalist recounted. “All of a sudden, Interior blasted insults at all of us,” the journalist said. Marquez and Interior had a heated exchange of words that caught the attention of other guests.

Interior went on “castigating us, accusing us of being imbalanced over the local political issues.” Marquez said he had to tell Interior that “playing neutral is like placing yourself in the middle of a battle.” He reportedly said that he had his personal bias, which is for the truth.

Not familiar with Marquez, Interior was offended by the journalist’s argument, Thus when Marquez reportedly stood up to take a phone call, Interior asked the other journalists about his identity. Later, Marquez upon returning to the table was led to the comfort room by Interior, trailed by two bodyguards whose guns were bulging in their waists. Marquez said, “He locked me up inside the men’s comfort room, ordered his two armed bodyguards to stay outside the door to prevent the others from entering, and started to confront me.”

Marquez claimed he sensed danger when Interior allegedly warned he was going to beat the former if he would not admit having had a loan at the legislator’s repair shop. “Titirahin na kita,” he quoted Interior as saying. The board member, a big man, also raised his right fist, Marquez said in his report to NUJP.

NUJP chairperson Inday Espina-Varona said, “We strongly condemn the actions of the board member, noting there was no provocation from the journalist.” The presence of bodyguards, she said, “makes the assault more treacherous, as there was a clear threat of force, preempted by the quick action of the journalist’s companions.”

“Elected officials have no business throwing their weight around,” Espina-Varona stressed.

NUJP vowed support for Marquez should he file formal charges against Interior. # Artemio A. Dumlao for NORDIS

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