PRESS FREEDOM | Marcos promises to protect journalists, stresses need for government and press to cooperate

October 5, 2022 , 10:37 PM

By Clarist Zablan

(October 5, 2022) – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Wednesday night vowed to support and protect the country’s journalists, stressing the need for the government and the press to work together to support the country’s progress.

Speaking at the Manila Overseas Press Club, which organized a President’s night, Marcos said he shared the sentiments to uphold the constitutional right to free speech and press freedom.

The president made the remarks days after a radio commentator, Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, was shot dead by unknown assailants in Las Piñas, the second case of a media killing under the Marcos Jr. administration.

“Under my lead, we will support and protect the rights of the media as they efficiently perform their duties,” Marcos told journalists. “Whatever difficulties we may encounter, the government will always be ready to lend an ear, and to listen to your concerns, and to answer all that you may want to know.”

“UNDER MY LEAD, WE WILL SUPPORT AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF THE MEDIA”

Sa kaniyang talumpati sa President’s Night na isinagawa ng Manila Overseas Press Club, tiniyak ni Pres. Bongbong Marcos ang pagprotekta sa karapatan ng mga mamamahayag sa ilalim ng kaniyang administrasyon. pic.twitter.com/bUu5q77QS3

— News5 (@News5PH) October 5, 2022

Marcos stressed the need for the government and the media to cooperate, with the government openly communicating its policies and programs while journalists not just “analyze” but also inform the public of the government’s actions.

“We will not be your leader but we will be your partner as we work together to see the full promise to the Filipino nation, fulfilled in the days and in the years ahead,” he said.

To recall, Marcos Jr. was once criticized by media watchdogs for evading presidential debates and media interviews during the campaign period early this year, although some political observers posited that his approach to journalists could change once he took office.

Although freedom of the press is enshrined under the country’s 1987 Constitution, the Philippines ranked a low 147th out of 180 countries in the global press freedom index of France-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

The country is also the 7th most deadly country in the world for journalists, based on tallies from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) last year.

Mabasa’s death, the latest case of media killing in the country, reignited calls from media watchdogs and human rights advocates for the government to seek justice on the incident, which they suspect to be related to his line of work.

Marcos has ordered an investigation into Mabasa’s death and has expressed concern over his killing, said Hubert Guevara, the senior deputy executive secretary, on Tuesday.

The interior secretary, Benhur Abalos, has offered to give P500,000 reward for any information that will lead to the arrest of the gunman and the mastermind. He said the reward money will come from his own pocket.

(MM)

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