DEATH threats will not stop dySS Super Radyo reporter Norman Mendoza from serving as a “watchdog” against officials who abuse their authority and exercise tyranny.
“A journalist should not keep mum because his life is threatened,” Mendoza said in Cebuano.
The 44-year-old went to the Mandaue City Police Station 1 yesterday to report the death threats he received from 09351675945 through two text messages.
One of the messages said he only has until All Souls’ Day to live.
Mendoza received the texts last Saturday night in the middle of the celebration of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas month and a few days before the Cebu Press Freedom Week.
Mendoza is the president of the Association of Reporters in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu in Truth and Excellence.
Aside from being a radio reporter, Mendoza is also a correspondent of Cebu Daily News.
Background
He worked in Bombo Radyo in 1998 and in Aksyon Radyo, a defunct radio station, in 2000.
After Aksyon Radyo, he worked in Waterfront Airport Hotel and Casino in Mactan for two years, then in a bank and in an office as a translator from English to Cebuano.
He joined dySS Super Radyo in 2005.
“I got tired of working in a hotel and in a bank so I applied at dySS because I enjoy working in the field,” Mendoza said in Cebuano.
Last Sept. 2, Mendoza had a confrontation with SPO2 Esnang Sarapuddin, who is assigned at the Lapu-Lapu Tourist Police Office, when the former covered a demolition under the Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.
Sarapuddin had accused Mendoza of taking videos of him.
Last Sept. 7, two unidentified men went to Mendoza’s house to look for him a day after he reported to the Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3 that Sarapuddin had threatened him during their confrontation.
Police Regional Office 7 Director Chief Supt. Noli Taliño had ordered an investigation on the incident.
According to Taliño, Sarrapudin may face transfer outside Central Visayas, like in the Cordillera Administrative Region in northern Luzon, if it is proven that he threatened Mendoza.
After that, Mendoza said he received death threats via text messages.
“You’re a showoff, brother. Before I get transferred to other place, my boss and I will gun you down because you are a corrupt leader of the media covering Lapu-Lapu City. You’ll live only until All Souls’ Day. We are monitoring you. We are following you from behind. You will be dead. Condolence,” the message read in Cebuano.
Assistance sought
The second message stated in Cebuano: “Brother, we’re right behind you, watching you and waiting for the time to kill you for our boss. Here in Lapu-Lapu, you’re a corrupt leader of the media. You attacked our boss, so we’ll go after you and your kin.”
For his family’s sake, Mendoza has thought of starting a business in case things get worse and he must leave his profession as a reporter.
However, he said a media member should not easily give up if he or she is only doing his job.
“Without media, there will be abuse of authority and tyranny. One’s freedom will be suppressed,” he said in Cebuano.
Since media has been the partner of government, he asked local officials like Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza and Senior Supt. Rommel Cabagnot, director of Lapu-Lapu Police Office, to support him in this battle.
“I hope the government can provide me with protect and hasten the investigation,” Mendoza said in Cebuano.
Earlier, Sarapuddin said he is willing to appear if his superiors ask him to explain.
He said he would not be where he is in his profession if he was a “salbahi (bad)” cop.
