HARASSMENT. Veteran Iloilo broadcaster Florencio Hervias III gets medical attention after being assaulted by three still unidentified persons in La Paz, Iloilo City on Friday night (Oct. 7, 2022). The Philippine National Police vowed urgent action on the case. (Courtesy of RMN Iloilo)
ILOILO CITY – Veteran broadcaster Florencio Hervias III is counting on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest those who mauled him in La Paz town here on Friday night.
The national headquarters took cognizance of the incident and vowed urgent action.
“I am grateful that this has reached the attention of Chief PNP (Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr.) and has ordered for an investigation about the mauling incident,” Hervias, 54, said in an interview on Sunday.
Three bonnet and hoodie-wearing persons attacked Hervias just after he left the building where he hosted the program "Banwa Binag-binaga" over Radio Mindanao Network on Luna Street.
He sustained lacerations on his nose, eyebrows, and lips while his attackers, who pretended to be garbage collectors, fled the scene.
It was the first time he experienced such harassment since starting his career in 1989.
Late Thursday evening, Hervias got information from media colleagues that Councilor Plaridel Nava was angry at him and his co-anchor, Roy Cejar, for bringing up the rehabilitation of the Mandurriao public market in his program.
“We were told that City Council Plaridel Nava was angry with us,” he said.
Nava, in a statement issued on Saturday, said he has “nothing to do with the physical mauling”.
“I admit though that I harbor ill feelings towards him and Roy Cejar after they both accused me of stealing government properties in their blocktime program. Who wouldn’t? I am not a thief. I have never been and never will be. You can accuse me of anything except stealing government properties” he said.
Nava said his name and reputation as a public servant is “very, very important” to him and no one “is licensed to besmirch it with impunity”.
Hervias said based on information he gathered, Nava has a joint venture with the contractor of the Mandurriao public market rehabilitation.
Col. Leo Batiles, Iloilo City police chief, assured a thorough investigation of the case.
On Saturday, cops were deployed within the vicinity of Aksyon Radyo Iloilo where Hervias also holds a blocktime program.
"Any assault on working journalists is being considered by the PNP as a serious case that deserves prompt and preferential action," Azurin said in a statement on Saturday. (PNA)
