By Clarist Mae Zablan
(March 21, 2025) – Media professionals’ groups on Friday condemned the recent wave of online harassment against journalists who have been covering the arrest and pre-trial of former president Rodrigo Duterte at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The International Association of Women in Radio and Television – Philippines (IAWRT Philippines) said a number of Filipino women journalists covering the situation at the ICC have been targeted for only “doing their jobs.”
The group also voiced concerns on the “online firestorm” against television reporter Mariz Umali, which they described as “laced with misogyny and vitriol,” after she was mistakenly accused of calling former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea “matanda” or “old.”
This included the remarks by fellow broadcaster Ramon Tulfo towards Umali, which IAWRT described as “so vile it defies decency.”
“This must stop,” the group said in a statement. “Harassment is not criticism; it is an attempt to silence. And a press under attack is a democracy at risk.”
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) also stressed that the harassment of journalists “should not be normalized.”
“NUJP recognizes that emotions are high during this tense time but also points out the disconnect between calling for respect for the rights of one person while directing threats at others, at the expense of their rights and their safety,” it said.
Aside from journalists, human rights groups have also sounded the alarm on incidents of hate speech against family of drug war victims and their counsel on social media following Duterte’s arrest and pre-trial at The Hague.
ALSO READ: ‘Victim-bashing’: Group slams online attacks against drug war victims, ICC official
The ICC has been investigating killings linked to the drug war policy under Duterte, who was president from 2016 to 2022. Philippine authorities arrested and surrendered him to the custody of the ICC last week.
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