CEBU, Philippines — United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan was in Cebu City yesterday, January 29, 2024, as part of her 10-day visit to the Philippines to assess the government's human rights mechanism, particularly the freedom of opinion and expression.
In her visit to Cebu City, she met with different groups, including members of the Police Regional Office (PRO)-7.
During the visit, topics like women's empowerment, adherence to human rights, and media security were tackled.
Atty. Hue Jyro Go, chief of staff for the Presidential Task Force on Media Security, who spoke to the media, said that Khan was satisfied with the meeting with the PRO-7 yesterday morning, citing that she admired the “plethora of freedom of opinion and expression in the country, particularly here in Cebu."
“It just shows how vibrant democracy is here and how vibrant the freedom of opinion and expression para sa ating mga kababayan and as well as sa mga media practitioners po natin,” Go said.
Go also added that Khan admired and was surprised to know that there were no arrests made by the police in rallies conducted in Cebu and that the police in Cebu adhere to the international human rights standard.
“This actually shows the maximum tolerance nga po ng ating mga kapulisan, which should be a model to other police regional offices as well,” Go added.
Go also reiterated the two exceptions under Art. 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in restraining freedom of speech, which is against public morals and breaches the freedom of others and when it is against national security.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of PRO-7, said that they remain transparent and follow due process in their operations, and that their media relations have always been good.
Pelare also added that the PRO-7 has programs for women empowerment, emphasizing their first-ever woman regional executive senior police officer, adding that the PRO-7 has put value on gender equality.
"We have assured them, and everyone can attest that we have a good working relationship with media and PRO-7, and we always promote transparency in operation, accessibility of information, and, of course, due process,” Pelare said.
In a separate interview, Arnold Bustamante, the President of the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists (CFBJ), said that he has not received any report of violence or threat against media practitioners in Cebu.
But he reminded media practitioners to exercise due diligence and to be careful with cyberbullying.
“Ato lang trabahuon atong trabaho. Dili lang nato sagulan og mo-opinyon ta sa atong mga balita. Be sensitive sa inyong mga balita sad aron ma balance nimo nga wa kay mapasakitan, wa kay matamakan. Unya atong relasyon sa atong source, maayo ug wa’y problema,” Bustamante said.
“Unsay tinuod nga nahitabo, maoy atong ibalita. Dili ta magpanuko sa pag-inform sa public sa tinuod nga panghitabo kay wa ma’y mawa nimo kung motug-an ka sa tinuod,” he added.
Bustamante further said that members of the media in Cebu maintains a good relationship with their sources and reiterated that the freedom of the press in Cebu remains alive.
The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) Cebu Chapter also mentioned in a statement that it met with Khan to discuss media concerns, as well give recommendations like decriminalize libel, junk policies which restrict Freedom of Information, to put an end to red-tagging, and for government officials to stop public shaming.
Khan also visited Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and was also set to meet with Vice Mayor Raymond Garcia.
Khan arrived in the country on January 21 and has visited Baguio and Tacloban. She will be back in Manila for a talk before the law students of Ateneo.
Labor group thankful
Meanwhile, Cebu-based labor group AMA SUGBO-KMU is thankful for the visit of Khan to Cebu and expressed willingness to discuss its concerns.
“We would like to convey to the UN Special Rapporteur the long-term and widening violations of freedom of opinion and expression experienced by Filipino workers, not only by the capitalists but also by the state forces,” said AMA SUGBO-KMU Secretary-General Howell Villacrucis.
Villacrucis said that due to the workers' experiences in the Philippines that include concerns on the right to a living wage, job security, humane working conditions, and their right to organize a union and strike, they don't have a choice but to stand and express their poor working conditions.
Leaders and unionists in Cebu, according to Villacrucis, have also felt the violations and attacks of the state forces.
With this, AMA SUGBO-KMU said they are ready to forward cases of violations to the UN.
“It is rightful that all workers' rights should be respected, such as Freedom of Association, Right to Organize, Freedom of Collective Bargain, and especially Freedom of Opinion and Expression,” part of the group’s statement reads. — (FREEMAN)