Bulatlat editor-in-chief Ronalyn Olea said the media freedom in the Philippines is not far away from the situation in the Gaza Strip saying that although there is no genocide happening in the country a culture of impunity and red-tagging is prevalent; worse, could also lead to killings.
On November 7, media groups along with student journalists, press freedom advocates, and professors gathered at the facade of the College of Mass Communication in UP Diliman to conduct a candle-lighting protest in solidarity with the journalists killed in Gaza as well as with the recently slain radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon.
“Kailangan na mabatid ng publiko yung sitwasyon ng mga journalist. Ultimately kapag pinapatay ang mga journalist mayroon itong direktang impact sa impormasyon na kanilang natatanggap,” Olea affirmed.
[The public needs to be aware of the situation of journalists. Ultimately when journalists are killed, it has a direct impact on the information the public receives]
Impunity culture
After 1986, the Philippines supposedly took back its emancipation at the helm of the toiling masses that toppled the dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. However, different forms of media repression emerged that eventually contributed to the shrinking space of democratic dissent.
This year, the country ranked 8 among the worst countries for prosecuting killers of journalists in the 2023 Global Impunity Index report from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
According to Olea, out of 900 journalists killed in over a decade, 80% of these cases remained unresolved. This means, only 20% of the cases with their perpetrators proceed with the rule of law.
“Hindi pa tayo nag-uusap kung mastermind ba ang naparusahan dito. Sa Pilipinas, sa halos 200 na pagpatay, nasa 11% lang ang nagresulta sa conviction at 4 sa kasong ito, 4 lang ang may alleged mastermind na naisama sa kaso,” Olea added
[We have not yet discussed whether the mastermind was punished here. In the Philippines, out of nearly 200 murders, only 11% resulted in a conviction and only 4 cases determined an alleged mastermind]
Of all the cases of perpetrators of killers, only gunmen were the initial suspects that proceeded to trial. Those responsible for the killings evade justice, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility.
Olea added that in over 200 cases, 53% did not even make it to the court level.
“Malaki ang problema natin dahil karamihan ng mga pinapatay na journalists sa ating bansa ay walang testigong nais magsiwalat o magtestimonya dahil sa bulok na justice system tayo, dahil sa culture of impunity na mayroon tayo,” Olea furthered.
[We have a big problem because most of the journalists who are killed in our country do not have witnesses who want to reveal or testify because of our rotten justice system, because of the culture of impunity that we have]
On November 5, Misamis Occidental-based radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon was mercilessly killed while doing a live stream of his show.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said Jumalon was the 199th journalist killed since 1986 and the 4th journalist to be killed under the Marcos Jr. administration.
Olea said that Jumalon’s assassination is an “indicator of the persisting ‘culture of impunity’”, a “result of decades of the lack of accountability.”
Media Honeymoon
Aside from impunity culture, the chilling effect and economic and political pressure also took part in the country’s continuing media repression.
“Malakas ang chilling effect dahil sa mga pagpatay sa mga journalists at culture of impunity, malakas ang political pressure sa mga higanteng media outfits dahil sila rin mismo ay may-ari ng malalaking negosyo, at ano mang political at economic pressure na ibinibigay ng mga nakaupo sa poder ni Marcos Jr. mismo sa mga higanteng media outfits ay nagreresulta sa censorship,” Olea explained.
[The chilling effect is strong because of the murders of journalists and the culture of impunity, the political pressure on the giant media outfits is strong because they are the owners of large businesses, and whatever political and economic pressure is exerted by those who are sitting in the power of Marcos Jr. even giant media outfits result in censorship]
Olea added that the truth will not come out should the chilling effect worsen, pointing out the danger it poses for journalists and citizens alike lest they will only hear misinformation, partial truth, or facts without context which would hamper their critical thinking and decision-making.
“Kadalasan dahil sa ganitong kultura, umaabot na tayo sa self-censorship,” she added.
[Often because of this culture, we reach a point where we do self-censorship]
Last 2020, media giant ABS-CBN lost its free-to-air operating franchise due to political pressure under the Duterte administration. According to several editors of the network, they would no longer pursue a new franchise since the only available frequency has since been allocated to a political ally of Duterte who, they say, has de-emphasized public news for more lucrative entertainment programming.
Several journalists of the network had to deal with ‘complex PTSD’ brought about by the effects of the media shutdown including massive lay-offs and extensive troll-farm attacks discrediting the credibility of their journalists.
On the other hand, alternative media outfits like Bulatlat, Pinoy Weekly and other websites of progressive organizations have since experienced state-sponsored censorship. Even Manila Today also endured a distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack in 2019.
These attacks at the helm of state forces also transpired in the ongoing aggression of Israel in Palestine.
More than 50 newsrooms have been completely or partially destroyed due to the continuing bombings and airstrikes of Israel in the Gaza Strip, including the press bureaus in Hajji Tower and the Agence France-Press which was bombed due to an “imminent threat” nearby.
An alarming number of 41 journalists have also been killed, 36 of whom are Palestinian reporters.
Hold perpetrators accountable
“Mula pa kay Duterte hanggang ngayon, kailangan nating i-assert ang karapatan natin na ilahad ang katotohanan anuman ang kailangan nating kaharapin, pero syempre hindi dapat katumbas ng ating buhay,” said Olea.
[From Duterte until now, we have to assert our right to reveal the truth no matter what we have to face, but of course, it should not be at the cost of our lives]
The groups then lit candles in a bid to express condemnation amid rampant killings among journalists.
“Kaya ang demand natin, tiyakin na mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga pinaslang,” Olea added.
[That’s why we demand, make sure that justice is given to those who were murdered]
The authorities have already formed a task force for investigation since the killing of Jumalon, even laying out a cartographic sketch of one of the perpetrators.
“Sana ito ay magresulta sa aktwal na conviction ng mastermind, Dahil nakita na natin na ginawa nila iyan noong paslangin si Percy Lapid.Nakatutok tayong lahat, pero matapos ang mahigit isang taon, ang alleged mastermind at malaya pa rin.” Olea furthered.
[I hope this will result in the actual conviction of the mastermind because we have seen that they did that when Percy Lapid was murdered. We are all focused, but after more than a year, the alleged mastermind is still free]
