On World Press Freedom Day
Philippine Media Grieve

Dancing flames crowned a small memorial circle in Quezon City as journalists marked World Press Freedom Day on May 3 in black shirts. But barely an hour had the occasion passed when another journalist succumbed in the line of duty: hard-hitting commentator Klein Cantoneros of Dipolog City became the fourth journalist to be killed this year, the 30^th under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the 67^th since 1986.

by Ronald B. Escanlar
Bulatlat

"Mahiya ka, Gloria!” (Shame on you, Gloria!)

Amid dancing flames at the rotunda of one of the metropolis' busiest intersections, a journalist shouted in anguish over the unsolved murders of colleagues – a grim reminder that in the Philippines, World Press Freedom Day is not a celebration of life, but rather, a day of grieving for deaths of colleagues and press freedom.

Journalists form human chain for press freedom near memorial for scouts in Quezon City
Photos by Arkibong Bayan

That same day, New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) declared the Philippines as the "most murderous" country for media practitioners, an apt addition to the country's title as the second most dangerous place for journalists to work in, next to war-torn Iraq.

No less than the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which represents over half a million journalists in more than a hundred nations, gave the Philippines the second title.  A most horrible title to a country supposedly the bastion of press freedom in Southeast Asia.

Nationwide commemoration

Over 200 journalists joined by lawmakers, students, human rights and Church groups converged at a Boy Scouts jamboree monument at the intersection of Timog and Tomas Morato Avenues in Quezon City.

Angry and mourning at the same time, members of the press wore black shirts that read "Journalist 'to, Enemi op da state, daw o! (I am a Journalist. Enemy of the State?)" and wore head and arm bands that read "Gag us not" and “Stop killing journalists.”

"Mahiya ka, Gloria! (Shame on you, Gloria!)" shouted NUJP Secretary General Carlos H. Conde, amid a black crowd carrying brown bamboo poles crowned with red flames.

Aside from NUJP, the participating organizations included the Metro Manila Radio Reporters Organization, Defense Press Corps, Antonio Zumel Center for Press Freedom, Philippine Center for Photojournalism, Press Photographers of the Philippines, Center for Community Journalism, Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists, Capampangan in Media, Inc., Concerned Artists of the Philippines, College Editors Guild of the Philippines and students of the University of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, members of Davao Media commemorated World Press Freedom Day through a full siren-motorcade that lasted 45 minutes around Davao City's major roads. The motorcade started at Rizal Park, the convergence point of major street protests in the city and ended at SM City Mall where a short program followed.

Radio Mindanao Network station manager Maximino Solis gave a media situationer during the program. Solis said members of the media are not only faced with threats to their lives, but threats as well on their economic conditions. He said there could be no real press freedom while workers in the mass media go hungry because of the prevailing very low wages in the industry.

"We are the first to speak against the economic exploitation of workers,  of the very low wages prevailing in our region, but we are also victims of such condition," he said in a gathering of journalists at SM mall, as fully-armed members of the police and military watched.

Members of the NUJP-Davao, Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP), local Philippine Information Agency (PIA) office, and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Press Corps gathered in the SM mall forum.

Even Assistant Secretary Efren Elbanbuena of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) for south central Mindanao, agreed that media reporters in Southern Mindanao receive salaries lower than the basic minimum pay, based on an earlier media study.

The press forum came after the 45-minute motorcade, where NUJP streamers, saying "Don't gag the Press" and "There can never be press freedom when journalists exist in condition of corruption, poverty and fear" in big bold letters fluttered in one of the convoy's 20 vehicles and caught the attention of Davaoeños along the city's major thoroughfares.

In Iloilo, journalists formed a 100-meter human chain consisting of 80 persons, holding lighted candles. In Cagayan de Oro City, the NUJP members, linked arms with the KBP, PNP Press Corps, Cagayan de Oro Press Club and local CEGP chapters to form a similar human chain. The activity was held at the Plaza Divisoria, from 6-8 p.m.   Iloilo journalists light candles for slain colleagues Photo by Ma. Diosa Labiste

In Baguio, the NUJP held a forum on state of press freedom at the old chapel of Camp John Hay in Baguio City last May 4.

RP media as prey

CPJ marked World Press Freedom day with an analysis calling murder with impunity as the most urgent threat against journalists globally. The committee studied more than five years of death records since 2000.

The study found that 121 out of 190 media people who died on duty worldwide were stalked and murdered for their work. Unfortunately, the killers had gone unpunished in more than 85 percent of the media slayings, the CPJ said.

"By failing to investigate and punish the killers, the governments in these five countries embolden all those who seek to silence the press through violence," CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper said in their May 2 statement.

Cooper, in conclusion, said that the problem was “enormous, but not intractable.”

“Governments must recognize what's at stake is not only justice for those murdered but also the collective right of society to be informed. Journalists cannot do their jobs in a climate of violence and impunity,” Cooper said.

Exaggerated, says Malacañang

The government labeled the CPJ report as "unfair and exaggerated."

"Press freedom is fully protected and media practitioners may ask the police for special protection if their lives are under threat," Press Secretary Ignacio R. Bunye said.

He reiterated that law enforcement agencies, such as the PNP, are paying special attention to the protection of journalists.

"Task Force Newsmen" has been organized by the PNP in an effort to protect journalists and to probe into the killings of media practitioners.

According to the Office of the Press Secretary, the PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management had directed all police regional directors to activate local task forces to help in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving attacks on journalists.

Clear danger; no proof needed

A few hours after World Press Freedom Day, 32-year old broadcast journalist Klein Cantoneros of DXAA in Dipolog City stepped out of the radio station and was met by a hail of bullets.

Before the day ended, Cantoneros succumbed to seven gunshot wounds at the Dipolog Medical Center.

According to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), Cantoneros, a hard-hitting commentator, was on his way home when three men blocked his way and shot him. Reports from the television station GMA said Cantoneros fought back with his own gun.

In a statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (http://www.nujp.org) said Cantoneros was the eighth journalist to come under attack this year. Three were successfully slain – Edgar Amoro of Pagadian City, Arnulfo Villanueva of Cavite, and Marlene Esperat of Sultan Kudarat. Meanwhile, Max Quindao of Tagum City, Pablo Hernandez of the Metro Manila tabloid Bulgar, Alberto Martinez of North Cotabato, and Nestor Seguismundo of DZXE, Ilocos Sur, survived assassination but suffered serious wounds.

"The continuing attacks on Filipino media practitioners only prove that those who seek to silence the press have utter contempt for the government," NUJP President Inday Espina-Varona said.

"The killings will stop only if the government proves that in this country, people cannot kill with impunity," she added.

The IFJ also strongly condemned the murder of Cantoneros, which hiked the grim total of journalists murdered since the restoration of democracy in 1986 to 67.

"Those targeting journalists have complete disregard for the government and the law because of a culture of impunity," IFJ President Christopher Warren said.

Warren added that attempts to silence journalists in the Philippines were "escalating."

"The government must take immediate action to protect journalist from further attacks," the IFJ president said.

A 'collective national shame'

During the re-launching of the Meet the Press breakfast forum in Manila, Secretary Cerge Remonde, chief of the Government Media Group, said not enough had been done on attacks against journalists.

"It's a big embarrassment. This (has become) a collective national shame," Remonde said in mixed Filipino and English.

The NUJP also criticized the government for its "cavalier, even dismissive, attitude toward the killings," which the group says encourages more violence against journalists.

"Either the administration is incredibly naïve or ignorant about what's happening or it is woefully in denial," NUJP President Espina-Varona said at the forum.  Bulatlat