Armed men threatened to shoot Rappler reporter Joann Manabat for taking videos of the scene, while members of the demolition team confronted K5 News FM anchor Rowena Quejada and took her belongings, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP).

The regional office in Central Luzon of the CHR has dispatched a quick response team to look into the incident.

“As an independent human rights institution, the commission actively condemns all acts of violence against journalists as these negatively impact the situation of press freedom of the country and may lead the Philippine democracy towards decay,” the commission’s statement read.

“We stress the crucial role of the media in the upkeep of the information flow across all Filipinos. Any threats which may deter them from fulfilling their duty is a clear violation of the freedom of the press,” the CHR added.

The Central Luzon Media Association (CLMA) – of which Manabat and Quejada are members – also decried the harassment endured by their colleagues.

The organization called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure protective measures for journalists from groups that may threaten freedom of the press.

Play Video

“There is no justification to violence against media workers, nor any human being, merely performing their jobs legally and within the bounds of the law,” the CLMA said.

“In solidarity, CLMA will help ensure that the case will not be a mere addition to the statistics of the alarmingly growing cases of violence against media persons in the country. We will provide not only moral, but also legal, and other assistance as may be necessary,” the group added.

Tuesday’s incident took place at Sitio Balubad in Barangay Anunas, where some 2,000 residents have been fighting to keep their ownership of the land that is currently being claimed by Clarkhills Properties Corporation. 

A violent demolition operation broke out, and the ensuing gunfire wounded at least five people.

Play Video

Police said they arrested two persons carrying firearms at the demolition operation.

Quejada was initially reported missing after covering the demolition. She was found safe later the same day, with the NUJP saying a Japanese national helped her and hid her inside his home until tensions eased.

Meanwhile, the management of K5 News FM Philippines based in Bacolod City also called on authorities to conduct an investigation into the threats to media by armed during the Angeles City demolition.

“Rowena Quejada is our anchorwoman/peporter, and she was simply doing her job as a member of the fourth estate covering the demolition of houses at Sitio Balubad, Barangay Anunas, Angeles City,” said K5 News FM Philippines’ network operations manager Eljohn Castaño in a statement.

Castaño added that “a civilian who was near the area saw that Ka-K5 Weng was being harassed by still unidentified persons as she was in the Frontline covering the demolition who hurriedly gave her support and hid her in a safe space.” – Rappler.com

The PAOCC and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), Integrity Monitoring Enforcement Group (IMEG), Intelligence Group (IG), Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC), and the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) were armed with two search warrants against internet gaming licensed hub Zun Yuan Technology Incorporated, said PAOCC spokesperson Winston Casio.

The search warrant was issued by Presiding Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao II of the Regional Trial Court Third Judicial Region Branch 81 in Malolos, Bulacan.

A total of 408 people – 234 Filipinos, 107 Chinese, 58 Vietnamese, 6 Malaysians, 2 Rwandans, and a Taiwanese – have been accounted for by authorities as of 5:30 am on Wednesday. All were working inside the Philippine offshore gaming operations (POGO) compound. 

Casio said the warrants stemmed from a complaint filed by a Vietnamese who escaped from the POGO compound on February 28. 

A Malaysian had also sought PAOCC’s assistance and alleged that he was being held against his will inside the POGO compound. He will be brought to the medico-legal officer as he bore signs of torture and physical abuse, Casio said.

“We were able to rescue one Malaysian…. He’s being manhandled, electrocuted,” said Casio.

Seventeen of the foreigners who had been rounded up were caught in a van during a hot pursuit operation along M.A. Roxas Highway together with the Clark Development Corporation’s Traffic Management Section of its Public Safety Division.

During the search of the POGO premises, authorities found scripts of a love scam modus, as well as Android smartphones and iPhones with possible scam transactions. 

“In light of the discovery, the Anti-Cybercrime Group will apply for a cyber warrant with the assistance of the Department of Justice Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking,” said Casio. – Rappler.com

A Quezon province court granted their motion to quash, which in effect cleared them of the arson charge filed by the police. The four had been arrested by local police after they were suspected of burning down a modern jeepney in the town of Catanauan.

Their arrest brought about renewed criticisms of how police handle warrantless arrests and hot pursuits.

In this episode of Rappler Talk, justice and police reporter Jairo Bolledo sits down with Castro to talk about his detention and his perspectives on the country’s justice system after his warrantless arrest.

Bookmark this page to watch the interview at 11 am on Wednesday, March 13. – Rappler.com

The saga began with a single shoe searching for its owner, and the tale took a whimsical turn straight to the steps of city hall. The plot thickened as the POSD traced the owner’s journey to reclaim her wayward slipper. 

The story’s heroine, Pamela, made her entrance not with a grand ball invitation but with a simple realization that one of her shoes had gone AWOL after Sunday church service. Swapping her heels for flats at the time, she unwittingly left a shoe behind and only discovered its absence the following day. 

Must Read

Baguio’s lost shoe sparks viral poem

Her quest led her to the POSD, thanks to a shared post by Baguio’s vigilant PIO, mistakenly directing her to city hall before finding sanctuary in the POSD market office.  

Greeted with smiles, Pamela recounted her tale of loss and discovery. It seems divine intervention from her Sunday devotion led to a Cinderella moment, Baguio style. 

Her joyous reunion with her shoe was celebrated, not with a royal decree, but with a poem, courtesy of the POSD chief Daryll Kim Longid, heralding the return of the prodigal shoe:  

Baguio Cinderella 2.0 Update!

Oh, lonely slipper, your saga did inspire,
A city-wide search, a tale to admire.
Found at last, the owner did appear,
Bringing to a close, our shoe mystery here.

From Nigeria’s shores to Baguio’s embrace,
Pamela sought knowledge, with elegance and grace.
A slipper lost, from church to abode,
Led to a story, poetically ode.

Cinderella 2.0, of modern-day lore,
Found not a prince, but something more.
A community united, by a shoe’s simple plight,
Found friendship and laughter, in the morning light.

This tale of reunion, so heartwarmingly told,
Reminds us of connections, more precious than gold.
In Baguio, a city of pine and mist,
A single shoe’s journey, will always persist.

So here ends the tale of Pamela and her slipper,
A story of lost and found, that’s never been chipper.
Baguio Cinderella 2.0, a story to behold,
A testament to a community, wonderfully bold.

– Rappler.com

“I got a phone call just this morning from PNP-RIAS, Regional Internal Affairs Service, that they filed, motu proprio, administrative [case] against the chief of police, the investigator, and the arresting officers,” lawyer Michael Marpuri said in a press conference on Tuesday, March 12.

A document seen by Rappler showed it was the main IAS that filed the case. The IAS is the unit mandated to probe police abuses.

Play Video

Police Captain Daniel dela Cruz, Police Senior Master Sergeant Jonjon Pordan, and Police Corporal Christian Abenilla face a less grave misconduct case over the director’s unlawful arrest.

An administrative case is different from a criminal case. In these cases, the PNP determines the punishment – ranging from suspension to dismissal from service – against the police personnel or police officer who would be found guilty.

After their 40-day detention, Castro and his friends were finally released from detention on Monday, March 11. The Catanauan Regional Trial Court Branch 96 granted the four’s motion to quash, which, in effect, dismissed the charge against them. The court said it could not acquire jurisdiction over the four accused because the police “arrested them not in accordance with Section 5(b), Rule 113 of the Rules of Court.”

The court simply meant Castro and his companions’ arrest did not fall under the allowed instances where warrantless arrest is justifiable. Under the Rules of Court, a person may be arrested without a warrant if he or she is caught in the act, if there’s probable cause to believe that a crime was committed, or if the person is a fugitive.

The court found that the arresting cops had no probable cause “based on personal knowledge or even on reasonable suspicion” to proceed with their operation.

Castro – who helmed critically acclaimed films like Endo and Zombadings – and his friends were arrested without a warrant on February 1 for allegedly burning a modern jeepney in Catanauan, Quezon.

The alleged crime was committed in Catanauan, which is less than an hour away from Mulanay town, where Castro and his friends were staying for a vacation. A closed-circuit television or CCTV footage showed Castro and his friend’s car passing through a Mulanay road at around 7 pm on January 31, about the same time when the crime was being committed in Catanauan.

Mulanay town officials also said that Castro and his friends were with them when the alleged arson transpired in Catanauan.

During the press conference, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, who was also part of Castro’s legal team, reiterated that warrantless arrests should only be done in exceptional circumstances stated by the law. But, Diokno said there are instances where warrantless arrest becomes the default option of law enforcement.

“In practice, nagiging subject siya ng pang-aabuso sa mga nahahawakan namin na kaso (it becomes a subject of abuse in cases we handle). That’s probably the number one violation that we encounter,” the human rights lawyer said.

Must Read

What is hot pursuit, and why is film director Jade Castro still in jail? 

Pursuing the case

Will Castro go after the cops who arrested them? In an interview with Rappler, Castro said they have yet to decide on the matter.

But unlike the film director, the regional PNP is already sure about its next move.

In a statement on Tuesday, PNP Calabarzon director Police Brigadier General Paul Kenneth Lucas said they will continue investigating the arson charge against the four since the court said that the charge filed against them constituted destructive arson.

“We, in the Police Regional Office CALABARZON, remain committed to ensuring justice is served and will continue our thorough investigation into the case. The ruling, in no way, undermines the dedication of the men and women of this regional office in building a strong case against the suspects. We will diligently gather appropriate evidence and work towards re-filing the case of destructive arson against the accused,” Lucas said.

In the event that the case is refiled, it would not constitute double jeopardy since their case did not reach arraignment. Arraignment is where “the judge reads the charges filed against the defendant in the complaint and the defendant chooses to plead ‘guilty,’ ‘not guilty’ or ‘no contest’ to those charges.” – Rappler.com

Some 2,000 residents are fighting to stay in a 73-hectare of land being claimed by Clarkhills Properties Corporation. Demolitions have happened in the area several times, with some turning into violent encounters.

Manabat said men dressed in red and white shirts barred her from entering the area and immediately called her out when they saw her taking videos of the demolition.

“Those in red shirts, from a distance, told me to stop taking videos or else babarilin ako at kukunin yung photos ko (they would shoot me and take my photos),” the reporter said.

After acknowledging the threat, the Rappler reporter left the area with the help of residents who accompanied her away from the armed men.

“I stayed at a house near Balubad Street owned by the relative of the resident I was looking for. I left as soon as it was safe to leave the area,” Manabat added.

Before this, Quejada reportedly went missing during the demolition.

Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. confirmed in a statement on Tuesday evening that armed men harassed Quejada and held her at gunpoint. 

“Quejada was covering the ongoing demolition at Sitio Balubad, Barangay Anunas, Angeles City, when accosted by armed men who allegedly questioned her and took her belongings,” the statement read.

According to reports gathered by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, one of the armed men at the demolition pointed a gun at Quejada, telling her to stop taking videos. 

“The man also hurled invective, calling the media demonyo (devil) for reporting about the ongoing land dispute,” the NUJP said.

A Japanese national assisted Quejada by hiding her inside of his residence. She was able to leave after tensions in the area subsided.

Lazatin and members of the NUJP have condemned the threats that were made against the journalists. – Rappler.com

The residents of Barangay Anunas who sustained injuries were Bong, Ana, Raniel, Alvin, and Diego. They asked that their last names be withheld for their safety.

The five were rushed to the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center in Angeles City, according to their companion Joy, who also asked not to be identified.

Major Vicky Tamayo, acting commander of Police Station 4 of the Angeles City Police Office confirmed that there were five persons injured and were brought to the hospital. She added that three cops were also hurt during the demolition operation.

“May nahuling dalawa na may dalang baril kanina na nagpaputok (We arrested two persons who carried and fired their guns awhile ago),” said Tamayo. She said the suspects are now under investigation.

Tamayo said the demolition team was from Clarkhills Properties Corporation.

Clarkhills is claiming 73 hectares of disputed land in Brgy. Anunas. It has been trying to implement a demolition order it obtained September 2023.

Play Video

“Pag demolition, CDM. Pero syempre kailangan nila (Clarkhills) security… We are implementing maximum tolerance for the duration of the demolition,” said Tamayo. “In case of aggression, ang civil disturbance management team pwede nilang protektahan ang mga tao doon sa demolition area. (The CDM team will protect the public in the demolition area.)”

Tamayo said the demolition team from Clarkhills included its own SWAT members..

Rowena Quejada, a journalist from K5 News, Olongapo City, said she was threatened with harm during the demolition. Quejada was covering the violent demolition when she was confronted by members of the demolition team who were wearing bonnets.

Quejada said the armed men took her mobile phone, shoulder bag, and wallet containing cash.

A Japanese national who witnessed the incident helped Quejada and hid her inside his home. She stayed with the Japanese family until the tension passed.

A total of 535 families, comprising 2,000 residents, are continue to fight for their land despite their fear of losing the land they paid for and devoted to all their lives. – Rappler.com

On Monday, March 11, the city government’s Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) transformed a standard lost-and-found notice into a poem, spinning in the process the “Baguio Cinderella Story 2.0.”

The poetic announcement:

A lone sole seeks its missing mate,
A crimson kiss upon its fate.
Four inches high, a daring stride,
Size forty-one, where could it hide?

Found by our enforcers, a watchful eye,
Near the O-shaped bridge, beneath the sky.
Though knocking doors, a tedious quest,
A quicker path, we put to the test.

Come, gentle lady, or perhaps a gent (size 41!),
Claim this lost treasure, heaven-sent.
For in our office, a story awaits,
Perhaps a prince Charming, to seal your fate.

So come forth now, and end the plight,
Reunite the sandals, bathed in light.
Who knows what magic love might bring,
On wings of leather, you’ll surely sing.

After it was shared almost 500 times and liked by double the number as of this writing, the next question of course became: Who wrote the poem?

POSD chief Daryll Kim Longid did. 

“I just thought that it would catch people’s attention if I wrote it as a poem and in the process reach more audience. The more traction, the higher the chance the owner would come across the post,” Longid told Rappler. 

He said he initially tried asking AI to write the verse, “but it wasn’t giving me the output I was looking for.” 

“So I just looked up the Old English synonyms of the words I wanted to use as I went through each line. I used a thesaurus,” he said.  

This wasn’t the POSD’s first “Cinderella” post. On January 26, 2023, it called on the owner of a single wedge sandal this way: 

“We’re looking for the owner of this brand new pairless wedge sandal (left pair) that may have fallen off someone’s bag at the Treasury Market Division office last Monday, 23 January, sometime after the clock struck 12. 

“Shoe brand is M Style size 38.

“To claim, please proceed to our office located at the Ground Floor of Block 4 along Hilltop Rd. here at the Public Market and simply present the other pair.

“P.S. You may bring your Prince Charming who could put the sandal on you… if it fits! 

Abangan ang susunod na kabanata!”

The post also went viral. 

With Monday’s poem, Longid underscored the POSD’s creative approach to public service, transforming the mundane task of reuniting lost items with their owners into a narrative that both delights and engages the community. 

On Tuesday night, March 12, the search had its fairy tale ending of sorts, inspiring another poem that, needless to say, went viral again. – Rappler.com

The film festival, themed “Building bridges beyond boundaries,” has focused on the power of film to connect diverse cultures and communities.

MFF 2024 boasts an exciting lineup across narrative, documentaries, mobile phone films, and the newly introduced animation and children’s films categories. 

Twenty-four finalists were chosen for their unique perspectives, undergoing mentorship from Harlene Bautista, Paolo Villaluna, Jade Castro, Jet Leyco, Ditsi Carolino, Nico Hernandez, Arjanmar Rebeta, Tristan Cua, and Arvin Belarmino.

The opening gala set for March 16 will feature Tanabata’s Wife, a poignant narrative that sets the tone for a festival committed to showcasing compelling stories. 

Collaborations with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) promise to enrich the festival experience through Film Talks, CCP’s outreach programs, and public screenings designed to ignite passion for local cinema.

Highlights of MFF 2024 include SineMusiKain, a fusion of film, music, and culinary arts; Sine Ibayo, an international film showcase; and SineSindak, a horror-themed night at the Diplomat Hotel. 

There will also be a series of free public screenings like the MFF Best of the Best, and the Cordillera School of Digital Arts’ (CSDA) Anima sa Montanosa at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center Basement, Error 404 film premiere by Take One at Vivistop Baguio, and the most awaited MFF 2024 films in-competition public screenings at the SM City Baguio.

The festival’s culmination will see awards presented to outstanding filmmakers by a jury comprising Pepe Diokno, Ryan Cayabyab, Joyce Bernal, Zig Dulay, and Dingdong Dantes. 

The festival will conclude with the 2nd Baguio Folk Music Festival on March 24 at the Rose Garden, celebrating the region’s musical talents and cultural heritage.

Ferdinand John Balanag, MFF director and founder, alongside Baguio City Tourism Officer Aloysius Mapalo, Creative Council Director Rene Misa, and lead festival organizer Raymond Sakiwat introduced an array of activities designed to foster international cultural exchanges.

“This year’s MFF aims to transcend physical and cultural barriers, inviting audiences to explore diverse narratives from around the globe,” said Balanag.

The MFF’s vision resonates with Kidlat Tahimik, a national artist for film, who reflected on the evolution of Filipino cinema: “Decades ago, we were talking about making truly Filipino films… Now, we’re amplifying the voices of our local storytellers through Montañosa… I expect to see Montañosa outlive Cannes and Berlin.”

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong, who welcomed participants, said the festival serves as a platform for local filmmakers to enrich Baguio’s cultural identity. 

“Their work reflects the stories, and landscapes of our beloved city, adding depth and richness to our cultural identity,” Magalong said. – Rappler.com

Puerto Princesa City, through its City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) established an arboretum, a botanical collection of trees within the city’s nature park near the New City Hall which will house both endemic and native trees. The establishment of this arboretum started during a yearly event that nurtures Balayong trees within the city’s Balayong People’s Park back in July 2023.

Carlo Gomez, City Environment and Natural Resources Officer, said the arboretum will serve as a center for research and a bioreserve that will potentially attract visitors, students, and researchers. 

Gomez emphasized that their office focused on planting endemic, native, or fruit-bearing trees because it supports biodiversity and wildlife. 

These include the Inyam tree, the fruit of which is a favorite food of birds. Narra, the Philippines’ national tree, also attracts plenty of insects for pollination due to its fragrant flowers and leaves. Banaba and Bani trees too, with their flowers and canopies attracted pollinators like bees.

The Kamuning tree is also found in the arboretum. Kamuning is known scientifically as Murraya paniculata and is considered a medicinal plant used for gas pains, sprain, bone pain, and snake bites. In Malaysia, its leaves are widely used as food flavor additives for cuisine, specifically in preparing meat, fish, and soup and flavor curries. 

Endemic trees are those only found in Palawan, including the endemic ironwood species known as Palawan Mangkono (Xanthostemon speciosus). 

Other trees that Puerto Princesa City ENRO is prioritizing were native trees known in their local names as Bakawan Gubat, Agoho, Alalod, Balayong, Balite, Batino, Bignay, Bayok, Bogo, Burawis, Bunog, Dao, Ipil, Iniol, Gatasan, Duguan, Kalantas, Kasoy, Lapnisan, Langka, Lanite, Lumaraw  Malabagtik, Malakatmon, Malabakawan, Mulawin, Pangi, Pasi, Putian, Red Nato, Repetek, Sahing, Siar, Talisay, Talisay gubat, Taluto, Ururingin, Tanabag, White Nato, among others, said Forester Sheryl Ampas-Paed.

Senior Environmental Management Specialist (SEMS) Forester Zorina C. Arellano, who heads City ENRO’s Forest Management Division said that native trees are linked to the well-being of insects, birds, and wildlife species that naturally occur in an area, thus it is important to consider native trees compared to exotic and introduced trees. 

She explained that native trees, especially fruiting trees support wildlife and biodiversity like mammals, avian species, bees, and others that form part of the biodiversity. Native trees should be planted and not an invasive introduced species, which might limit biodiversity. Invasive species will dominate an area and cause other trees to vanish.

“Native trees are their habitats, and these birds and wildlife are dependent on them,” she said. 

Protecting the birds, too

Environmental Management Specialist Myla Adriano said that in order to intensify public awareness campaigns they conducted puppet shows in schools and the barangays as part of raising student’s awareness of the importance of birds and wildlife.

She emphasized the need to protect wildlife habitats as they are the animals’ sources of food, For instance, the endemic Palawan hornbill (Anthracoceros marchei) is a large forest bird that is only found in Palawan. Also endemic in Palawan is the iconic Palawan Peacock Pheasant, locally known as the tandikan. 

She explained that birds also take seeds and disperse them through their droppings, therefore bringing plants back to ecosystems that have been destroyed.

Gerald Opiala, a government employee and a landscape designer explained that in landscaping it is important to incorporate water which is vital to birds and wildlife’s existence. 

Landscape with a bird bath or any water features supports wildlife, especially birds and other avian species affected by dry weather and scarcity of water. 

“Meron bird bath kasi ang mga ibon ay nag-su-suffer during drought kaya may mitigation measures tayo. Yun ang support natin sa wildlife natin lalo na sa mga ibon. Ito yung obligation po natin sa nature kasi itong bird bath ay iniinuman din ng mga birds kasi nahihirapan yan sila kung may drought lalo na dito sa urban areas,” he explained. (There’s a bird bath because birds suffer during drought and these are some mitigation measures. This is our support to our wildlife and birds. This is our obligation to nature because birds drink water in our bird baths, especially during droughts in urban areas)

Birds and avian species play an important role in our ecosystem, emphasized Gomez who is also a professional birder and bird photographer, being an official of the Wild Bird Photographers of the Philippines (WBPP).  

He explained that they are indicators of a healthy environment.

“Ang mga ibon ay nagbibigay ng important barometer na healthy pa ang ating environment (Birds give an important barometer of whether the environment is healthy or not),” City ENRO Gomez said. – Rappler.com

Gerardo C. Reyes Jr. is a community journalist at Palawan Daily News and is an Aries Rufo journalism fellow of Rappler for 2023-2024.