Palace disputes ‘press freedom violator’ tag

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang said yesterday it is taking the country’s lower global rankings in the 2017 Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index (CPI) seriously, but disputed in particular its tag as among Asia’s “worst offenders” of press freedom.

“We have to underscore that corruption is a problem that cannot be solved overnight,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said.

Based on the organization’s index report for 2017, the Philippines got a score of 34 points, a notch lower than its score of 35 in 2016 and 2015.

The Philippines slipped to 111th place among 180 countries included in the 2017 report, from 101st place in 2016.

The Philippines’ 2017 CPI score was the worst in five years or since 2012, following its slightly improved performance in 2013 (36 points) and in 2014 (38 points).

Roque said President Duterte gave a stern warning to government officials and employees that he would not tolerate corruption during his watch and that the Chief Executive has fired many government officials, including members of the Cabinet, as he heard of their involvement in corruption.  

Roque said the President also issued Executive Order No. 43 creating the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission and opened a citizens’ complaint hotline 8888.

“Fighting corruption needs everyone’s cooperation. The government cannot do it alone. Citizens must be vigilant and report corruption,” Roque said.

Roque also claimed press freedom is not under threat in the Philippines and that the Duterte administration is not undermining it, despite the Office of the President’s decision to ban Rappler from covering Palace events and the activities of Duterte.

Roque disputed the report that the Philippines is one of the countries with least protection for media and non-governmental organizations.

He pointed out that Transparency International factored in the protection of the press and non-governmental organizations in its ranking.  

“It particularly mentioned the Philippines as among countries which score high for corruption, have fewer press freedom and higher numbers of journalist deaths,” he said.

Roque denied Transparency International’s report saying at least one journalist is killed every week in the country that is highly corrupt.

“There is no truth that we have fewer press freedom. Our media are still able to broadcast and print or publish what they want – fake news included,” Roque said. “Filipinos are free to air their grievances with the President, even declaring an unprecedented Day of Protest.”

Roque noted that the President has acted swiftly with the creation of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to ensure the protection of media practitioners.

Citing the record of the task force, the Palace said all murder cases involving journalists during the Duterte administration have been solved.