Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija — The National Press Club (NPC) has condemned the harassment made by ABC president Christopher Lee on media personnel a few days before the election.

According to NPC president Leonel “Boying” Abasola, the harassment made on the media people of TV48 and DWNE is a serious threat to press freedom.

He added that the incident happened on 10 May in Barangay Pagas of this city when Lee harassed reporters Clariza de Guzman and Mylen Ponciano.

Aside from this incident, an attack that burned the vehicle of veteran journalist and Cagayan de Oro Press Club president Manuel Jaudian happend on 10 May in Sagay, Camiguin.

Abasola said that there is no room for a free society where the media is threatened and harassed. He urged everyone to unite and defend the freedom of every media personnel.

The NPC is calling for the authorities to conduct a swift, fair and deep investigation to put those responsible for these incidents to justice.

Abasola said, “Hindi kalaban ang media, kundi tagapagbantay ng demokrasya. Dapat din umanong tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng media habang ginagampanan ang kanilang tungkulin sa bayan.”