´I won’t shut my mouth,´ another outspoken journalist warns

Santo Domingo.- Outspoken journalist Marino Zapete on Monday warnedhe won’t shut up and will continue to denounce injustice and defend the sectorsthat don’t have the power of money or political influence.

Zapete´s statementcomes just hours after another outspoken journalist, Luis E. (Huchi) Lora, revealedhaving received death threats from an unnamed source, and also warned that he “wontt shut my mouth.”

When acento.com.doasked Zapete about the slander charges filed by catholic priest Manuel Ruizagainst him, the veteran journalist said "neither Father Manuel Ruiz norany one is going to gag me, I will not be silenced."

He said an honestjournalist´s duty is to defend those who cannot defend themselves from abuse bythose with economic or political power, and influence.

Zapete said DominicanRepublic is currently under a near absolute control of information and opinion,which is why some sectors want to silence honest journalists who don’t selltheir opinions.

He said Ruiz accuseshim and the journalists Altagracia Salazar and Diana Lora, for alleged slander,just because he referred to a community´s complaint on how the priest manages aschool built with taxpayers’ money on public land “as if it were a privatebusiness.”

He said he, Lora andother codefendants will attend a hearing at the National District 8thCriminal Court on Tuesday, to respond to the charges filed by the priest.