A photo of a studio microphone/FILE
Manila, Jul 9 – President Benigno Aquino on Monday suspended a province governor for a month without pay for storming a state-run radio station and hitting a broadcaster on the head with a microphone.
The suspension comes a year after Governor Jocel Baac of Kalinga province barged into a studio of radio DZRK to confront announcer Jerome Tabanganay, who criticised him for allegedly failing to stop illegal gambling in the area.
A video of the incident uploaded to YouTube showed Baac bursting into a radio booth at the station, hitting Tabanganay with a microphone and scuffling with staff.
The northern province governor was later restrained by police officers, who escorted him out of the station.
The suspension order was signed on June 29, said Aquino spokeswoman Abigail Valte, and announced Monday.
Attacks targeting outspoken journalists are common in the Philippines, which is rated by watchdog groups as one of the most dangerous places for members of the press.
Four journalists have been killed since January, raising the total number of media workers murdered in the Philippines to 153 since democracy was restored in 1986, according to rights groups.
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