Vloggers also face threat of media attacks – Eleazar

MANILA, Philippines — For senatorial aspirant Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, the attack on members of the media serves as a serious challenge that the government must address, as the same threat may eventually include content producers in social media.

“If some people can easily harass or even take the life of members of the media, what would prevent others from doing the same thing for example against bloggers and video bloggers in the social media?” said Eleazar.

He was reacting to the recent media killing involving Pampanga-based journalist Jess Malabanan, who was gunned down inside their store in Calbayog City in Samar on the night of Dec. 7.

Malabanan, 58, was a correspondent for Manila Standard and Bandera and also a contributor to international news agency Reuters. He died of gunshot wound to the head.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has created a special investigation task force to look into the case.

Eleazar explained that social media have also paved the way for the popularity of other people outside traditional media who produce content relating to social issues and other controversial contents for the consumption of netizens.

He said efforts must be made to “strengthen the prevention, protection for media workers, the investigative capability to solve cases of media killings and even the prosecution of those who are involved.”

“In this way, we would be able to send a strong message that they cannot easily do this to anybody. Like I was always saying, it is the certainty that those who commit crime would be arrested and punished which is the best measure to address this kind of problem,” he added.

The Philippines has been repeatedly tagged as one of the dangerous countries in the world for journalists.