Military task force bans Inquirer reporter from Basilan coverage

ISABELA CITY , BASILAN -- Philippine Marine Corps Commandant Major General Ben Dolorfino confirmed to Zamboanga Inquirer correspondent Julie S. Alipala that she was being banned by the military from covering its operations in the strife torn island province of Basilan.

Reports received by the Media Safety Office of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines and International Federation of Journalists quoted Dolorfino as saying, "When we were in Basilan, I was informed by (Task Force Thunder) officials there that they were under instruction from CSAF (Lt. General Hermogenes Esperon Jr.) that the Inquirer correspondent (Alipala) is banned to (sic) cover military activities, but I don't believe them."

According to Alipala, an undisclosed informant confirmed the Esperon's order which was reportedly relayed by Task Force Thunder chief Brig. Gen. Juancho Sabban himself.

Alipala sought to verify it with AFP spokesperson Lt. Colonel Bartolome Bacarro, who denied receiving such instruction from Esperon.

Alipala earlier earned the ire of military officials because of her reports on military abuses and lapses during operations. Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) chief Lieutenant General Eugenio Cedo in fact walked out of a press conference last August 21 after castigating Alipala for reporting on lapses in the August 18 clash in Unkaya Pukan town in Basilan. Fifteen marines were killed by the bandit group Abu Sayyaf in the incident.

Alipala also received threats after the incident and warned by contacts in the military that she should be careful.