Leyte Journalists Unite vs. Threats to Press Freedom

The newly formed Alliance of Journalists in Leyte signed a resolution calling on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “to withdraw any action or plan to further curtail press freedom” in a round table discussion initiated by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines  (NUJP) Leyte Chapter March 11.

BY MAUREEN JAPZON
Bulatlat

Holding the line Leyte press unfazed by threats to press freedom                   PHOTO BY  MAUREEN JAPZON

Tacloban City – The newly formed Alliance of Journalists in Leyte signed a resolution calling on President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo “to withdraw any action or plan to further curtail press freedom” in a round table discussion initiated by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines  (NUJP) Leyte Chapter March 11.

The NUJP-initiated the round table discussion was intended to create a venue for local media practitioners to share their opinions and to decide on an action plan,  as a response of the organization to the on-going threat to press freedom and bill of rights brought by Presidential Proclamation 1017, its lingering effects and the proposed guidelines for media monitoring.

“We have civil liberties and no law can ever be against us…It is time for us to solidify and to unite because that is the only way we can show the president that we mean business,” Rollie Montilla, NUJP Leyte Spokesperson and Eastern Times Editor-in-Chief, stressed.

It can be recalled that PP 1017 identified media as helping the so-called “destabilizers” of the Arroyo regime by “magnifying claims” against her.  In line with Arroyo’s announcement, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director Gen. Arturo Lomibao announced that police investigators will be monitoring media people who transgress the guidelines that will be issued by the PNP.  

Allan Amistoso, NUJP-Leyte President said that after the series of killings of media persons, totaling 11 journalists killed in 2005 and 3 this year, this is another threat looming over media persons.

But journalists organized in the different chapters of NUJP are protesting against this impending threat not only to press freedom but to civil liberties guaranteed by the constitution.

Public trust

Dr. Dave Genotiva (PhD.) one of the speakers in the forum encouraged journalists not to cringe or feel intimidated since it is for the public to judge the credibility and veracity of news and not the powers that be.

“We become better, more effective… when we defend our integrity and credibility…the role of journalists is to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable,” says Dr. Genotiva.

He further said that if the mandate of government officials is derived through elections, the journalists’ mandate emanates from the public’s trust.  It is the general public that ensures the independence of media and protects the truth.  

Alliance of the Fearless

“The people that are here are the fearless ones…we dare GMA to pick us up… As journalists, we are not doing anything wrong, but we are catalysts. We open the eyes of the public to what is going on in society,” Montilla said.

A resolution was passed signed by 24 media practitioners from different media outlets based in Tacloban City, Leyte.  The resolution is a common statement of concern regarding threats to press freedom.  It also calls on all journalists to unite and protect each other.

The resolution will be submitted to the office of the Presidential Adviser for the Visayas, Vic Domingo, and copies will be furnished to the Philippine Information Agency (PIA), Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP), Philippine Press Institute (PPI) and National Telecommunications Commission (NTC).

Meanwhile, Amistoso informed the body that NUJP-Leyte is planning to conduct a Safety Training for journalists.  The training will be conducted in cooperation with the national office of NUJP and the International Federation of Journalists.

“I am calling on all journalist to forge stronger unity because only through our unified action can we protect ourselves from any intimidation,” concluded Amistoso. Bulatlat

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