Journalist attends mass, is almost arrested

MANILA, Philippines – A Bohol-based newspaper editor was almost arrested last Saturday while attending the funeral mass for his aunt, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said Wednesday, March 28.

Alfredo Amora, associate editor and columnist of Bohol Standard and member of Bohol Tri-Media Association, was attending the funeral mass for his aunt at the Our Lady of Consolation church in Guindulman town when arresting officers appeared at the church entrance, the NUJP said in a statement.

He was being arrested for libel charges filed against him by a town mayor.

Amora told NUJP that upon seeing the police, “I went out and had to explain it was my aunt’s funeral that day. I was able to persuade the police officers not to arrest me.”

He then promised to show up at the Guindulman police station the next day.

The NUJP statement said that when he went to the police headquarters, Amora showed a copy of a court order dated Feb. 21, which recalled the Feb 8 warrant issued against him. The most recent order showed Amora had already posted a P10,000.00 bail.

The Feb 8 warrant was based on an order by Tagbiliran Regional Trial Court Branch 48 Judge Pablo Magdoza, in connection with a libel complaint filed against Amora by Guindulman Mayor Fe Añana-Piezas.

Local police said they merely got confused over the warrant.- Rappler.com