World Press Freedom Day: Watchdogs report 85 attacks

MANILA, Philippines — Local media watchdogs yesterday warned against the “disturbing patterns” that pose perils to the media under the Duterte administration, citing at least 85 attacks on journalists and media workers in its first 22 months, as the country joined the observance of World Press Freedom Day.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque, however, questioned the figures and said fatal attacks on journalists have gone down under President Duterte. Roque, who is also presidential adviser on human rights, also gave assurance that efforts are being undertaken to solve journalist killings.

Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility executive director Melinda de Jesus said attacks targeted at media organizations have been growing in terms of scope and reach.

De Jesus lamented that attacks even came from President Duterte himself, which induced some state agents to follow suit.

“The hostility and anger the President has shown against journalists and press in general; it is not entirely unimaginable that his attitude has transferred to state agents,” she said during a press freedom forum.

She noted the 85 attacks include assassinations, slay attempts, death threats, online harassment and police surveillance. 

Roque said he wanted clarification on what constituted “attacks,” as he wondered if the 85 included verbal attacks.

Nine journalists have been killed since July 2016 while 16 libel cases have state agents as complainants, she said, also citing 11 death threats and six cases of slay attempts. 

De Jesus said most of the killings are perpetrated in the provinces which are out of national attention. 

The CMFR has noted 157 cases of journalists killed in the line of duty but only 17 have been partly resolved. 

The latest mediaman killed was radio broadcaster Edmun Sestoso in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental on Tuesday. 

Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism executive director Malou Mangahas noted that the attacks are affecting more media platforms, from radio to print and broadcast and even online. 

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines director Raymond Villanueva said that while the administration is “trying to undermine and intimidate journalists,” this would only serve as a uniting force for media personnel. 

“It will only succeed in uniting media organizations even tighter. We feel that we need to unite and stand firm in telling the truth to the people,” he said.

New House rules hit

In a related development, militant party-list group Bayan Muna yesterday criticized the proposed new media coverage rules at the House of Representatives.

Rep. Carlos Zarate said some of the planned restrictions deal with story content and “are tantamount to prior restraint on and violation of press freedom.”

“They are intended to control media coverage and the news. As drafted, the rules could be used as a pretext to pressure media not to cover, publish or air criticisms or opposition to the leadership and the majority,” he said.

Zarate cited the rule that stories that tend to “besmirch” the reputation of the House or any of its members and officials and secretariat officers could be a ground to revoke the accreditation of a media practitioner.

He said reports about an incident “like what happened to Reps. Albee Benitez and Celso Lobregat, who fell off a wooden bridge in a housing project in Zamboanga City, could be interpreted as besmirching the House.”

He said another proposed ground for withdrawal of accreditation is making a false claim.           

“How do we determine what is a false claim? What if it was just an honest mistake or a statement from a lawmaker who did not want to be named?” he asked. – With Christina Mendez, Jess Diaz