MANILA, Philippines - Three people attacked radio commentator and Philippine Star's Iligan correspondent Lino dela Cruz while hosting a block-time radio program last Monday.
Dela Cruz was anchoring dxLS Love Radio Iligan's Serbisyo sa Katawhan Una sa Tanan (Service to the People First and Foremost) when two men and a woman entered the booth, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) posted in its website.
The men threatened Dela Cruz by choking him, telling him to stop criticizing former Munai municipal mayor Casan Maquiling, the supposed brother of the woman, NUJP reported.
Maquiling is currently a candidate for governor of Lanao del Norte under the Liberal Party ticket of the administration against incumbent mayor Khaled Dimaporo.
Dela Cruz told NUJP that he only remarked against Maquiling for criticizing Abdullah Dimaporo, father of the incumbent governor.
Dimaporo, a congressional bet for 2nd District of Lanao del Norte, reportedly refused to sign a pact between local candidates calling for peaceful elections, earning Maquiling's ire.