PTFoMS lauds recall of arrest warrants vs. 2 Masbate journos

MANILA – The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) lauded Wednesday the Masbate Regional Trial Court's (RTC) decision to recall the arrest warrants issued against two local journalists for supposed murder.

Judge Teofilo Tambago of the Masbate RTC Branch 49, 5th Judicial Region, issued a resolution granting the motion filed by local broadcasters Jay Alfaro and Benjamin Gigante to recall or lift the warrants of arrest issued against them.

Citing the resolution issued by Tambago, PTFoMS executive director Paul Gutierrez said the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor was ordered to conduct a reinvestigation of Alfaro and Gigante's case, after the arrest warrants issued against them were "recalled and set aside."

"In their motion, Alfaro and Gigante claimed that they were not afforded the benefit of preliminary investigation, as they have not received any subpoena for the case," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez lauded Tambago, saying it is the second time in less than a month that a warrant of arrest was ordered recalled by the same judge.

Alfaro and Gigante, along with two others, are facing murder charges filed by Masbate Provincial Prosecutor Jeremias Mapula for the death of a certain Richard Bauso in Cawayan town on April 6, 2024.

Another warrant of arrest was issued against them, in connection with the killing of a certain Virgil Arriesgado in August 2022, with the criminal information also prepared by Mapula.

Gutierrez earlier sought Mapula's assurance that the latter adhered to the provisions of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) 2023 circular in identifying Gigante and Alfaro as members of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People's Army (CPP-NPA) and that there are enough evidence of their involvement in Bauso's killing.

Gutierrez wanted to know if the alleged membership of Gigante and Alfaro with the CPP-NPA had been validated by the appropriate intelligence units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Gutierrez also reminded Mapula that the PTFoMS, as the government's mechanism to address all violations on media workers' right to life, liberty, and security, is chaired by the DOJ Secretary "with the full support of all the attached agencies of the Department of Justice, including the National Prosecution Service (NPS), of which you are a part of.

On Monday, Gutierrez stressed that while Mapula may have "sufficient basis" against Gigante and Alfaro, there are instances that local journalists who found disfavor in the eyes of some local officials are accused of other crimes or membership in terrorist organizations, which is tantamount to the commission of strategic lawsuit against public participation. (PNA)