FOUR media organizations on Thursday, May 3, said the practice of journalism has become "an even more dangerous endeavor" under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.
A report the state of press freedom in the Philippines showed that there have been 85 cases of attacks on and threats to the media in Duterte's first 22 months in power. The number exceeds those recorded under four presidents before Duterte.
From June 30, 2016 to May 1, 2018, these cases include the killing of 9 journalists, 16 libel cases, 14 cases of online harassment, 11 death threats, 6 slay attempts, 6 cases of harassment, 5 cases of intimidation, 4 cases of website attack, revoked registration or denied franchise renewal, verbal abuse, strafing, and police surveillance of journalists and media agencies.
The report was prepared by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR), National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), Philippine Press Institute (PPI), and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).
The four media organizations held a public forum Thursday to discuss the report in observance of World Press Freedom Day.
"Duterte's presidency has altered and controlled the public discourse so radically in its favor in ways rude and bold. One tragic result: it has restricted and narrowed the celebrated freedom of the Philippine press and the people's cherished right to know," the groups said.
"These cases linger amid efforts at solution by state agencies, and in the context of the hostile and vicious discourse against the administration’s critics and the critical media," they added.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. belied the report and stressed that Duterte is not a threat to press freedom.
"I dispute that because when it comes to killing, the number of (journalists) killed in the Philippines went down. The Philippines' ranking in the list of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists also improved," Roque said in an interview with Palace reporters.
Roque said the current administration is committed to protecting press freedom and ensuring media's security under Duterte's supervision.
He added that the government would even provide security to media personalities who face "credible threat."
"Our resolve is to bring to justice those who kill everyone, especially those who are from the media industry," the Palace official said.
"We have seucrity task force. If they (media personalities) need security, the government can give security to those whose life is at risk. There will be an investigation if there's really a credible threat. And if it does exist, we will provide security," he added. (SunStar Philippines)