By Charmaine A. Tadalan
THE Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism has recorded 85 cases of attacks and threats against the media since President Rodrigo R. Duterte assumed office on June 30, 2016.
“These cases project the force of presidential power dominating the political sphere, with zealous support from Duterte allies and appointees, and their sponsored misinformation army online and off. They have hurled at members of the press insults and unfair labels, and allegations of corruption and misconduct without firm basis in fact or in law,” The PCIJ said in a report released on Thursday, in observance of World Press Freedom Day.
The report noted “the number far exceeds those recorded under four presidents before him,” but did not specify figures from previous administrations.
Sought for comment, Penzer R. Baterna of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) said, “As far as I remember, we recorded about 59 cases under (former president Benigno S.C.) Aquino (III).”
Among the cases considered as attacks and threats to journalists are murder, death threats, slay attempts, libel, online harassment, Web site attacks, revoked registration or denied franchise renewal, verbal abuse, strafing, and police surveillance of journalists and media agencies.
Majority of the cases occurred in Luzon with 40 counts recorded in Metro Manila alone, nearly half of the total number; and 17 in balance Luzon. Visayas had 10 instances of threats and attacks, while Mindanao had 17.
It was reported as well that no cases were recorded in Cagayan Valley (Region II), the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, MIMAROPA (Region IV-B, Southwestern Tagalog) and Northern Mindanao (Region X).
Out of the recorded cases, 16 were libel cases filed by state officials or agencies, 14 were online harassment by supporters of the administration, 11 death threats that came after delivering reports critical of public officials, and nine killings of journalists.
Further, journalist killings in the Duterte administration tied with those under Mr. Aquino, but this number was higher than the recorded five killings at the time of former presidents Gloria M. Arroyo and Fidel V. Ramos in their first 22 months.
But the report also noted that the number of murders during the entire term of Ms. Arroyo was higher than the rest due to the Maguindanao massacre of 2009 which claimed the lives of 32 journalists and media workers.
The report was the result of a joint monitoring by the CMFR, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, Philippine Press Institute, and PCIJ from June 30, 2016 to May 1, 2018.
The PCIJ said, to date, only 17 cases among 156 media killings since 1986 were resolved, but led only to the conviction of the gunmen, not the masterminds.
“A strongman president could go far, if he chooses, to improve the capacity of police for forensic investigation as well as strengthen the prosecutorial skills of lawyers working in the Department of Justice. Such efforts would redound to the benefit of all Filipinos, especially those without the means to hire their own lawyers, and not just the besieged workers of media,” the PCIJ said.