Altermidya
The Altermidya Network strongly condemns the 93rd Civil Military Operations (CMO) Company of the Armed Forces of the Philippines for its attempt to summon our member Baretang Bikolnon’s Reynard Magtoto through a local government unit.
The 93rd CMO wrote a letter dated December 3, 2023, to barangay officials in Daraga, Albay, where Reynard resides, requesting an appointment with him to discuss matters supposedly related to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-Bicol (NUJP).
According to the undersigned officer, CPT Michelle Estares, NUJP-Bicol is under the “purview of the 903rd Infantry Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army” and is a “target sectoral front organization” in Albay.
Reynard is also an NUJP director who has been actively campaigning for the safety and welfare of members of the press in Bicol region.
As a reporter and editor of Baretang Bikolnon, Reynard has been tirelessly reporting human rights violations in the Bicol region especially those perpetrated by state forces.
We call on our fellow journalists, press freedom advocates, and the public to join us in demanding to uphold the rights of journalists like Reynard. It is imperative that community journalists continue to report on people’s issues without intimidation or fear of reprisal.
#HandsOffReynardMagtoto
