United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan expressed deep concern over recent developments in the Philippines to silence independent and investigative journalism in the country.
“We are not taking all these sitting down. As we always say, an attack on one is an attack on all.”
Together with, and partly as a result of, its attacks on the press, it is leaving behind it neither change nor development, but more of the same rule of the few, even worse poverty, and, as it kept reminding us, the use of State violence and terror against anyone who dared exercise the freedoms the Constitution protects.
“We are entitled to appeal this decision and will do so, especially since the proceedings were highly irregular.”
A group of Filipino journalists has assailed the series of cyber-attacks that have been targeting the Philippine media and called on government agencies to investigate and stop these attacks.
Rappler CEO and veteran journalist Maria Ressa highlighted the continuing attacks against Filipino journalists as she accepted the Nobel Peace Prize award in Oslo, Norway yesterday, International Human Rights Day.
Pag-usapan natin ang banta ni Pang. Duterte sa Facebook kasama sina Maria Ressa at Gemma Mendoza ng Rappler, at digital activist Tonyo Cruz.
“Never since the late unlamented Marcos dictatorship has a president ever deigned to shut down the independent media and stifle criticism and dissent.”
By DEE AYROSO
The issue here goes beyond Rappler as other dominant and alternative news media organizations are also under attack. Ressa only becomes a convenient target because of her high profile. That’s what she has in common with ABS-CBN which is a leading network. The chilling effect becomes clear by targeting both of them.
Various groups assailed today yet another attack against press freedom in the country, with a Manila court handing down a guilty verdict against Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa and their former researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr.