Media Killings in the Philippines (2005-2023) PDF

MEDIA KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES  Topic Overview The violence against media professionals, particularly journalists, has been a persistent problem in the Philippines. These assaults are often associated to the nation's multifaceted political system, enduring corruption, criminal...

MEDIA KILLINGS IN THE PHILIPPINES  Topic Overview The violence against media professionals, particularly journalists, has been a persistent problem in the Philippines. These assaults are often associated to the nation's multifaceted political system, enduring corruption, criminal organized groups, and impunity culture. Notable media killings or fatalities are reviewed and discussed in this report along with the responses, viewpoints, and criticism from various media outlets. Introduction Media killings in the Philippines have been a significant and troubling issue, reflecting broader concerns about press freedom, safety for journalists, and the rule of law in the country. The Philippines is known for having one of the highest rates of violence against journalists, with many reporters facing threats, harassment, and even assassination, often linked to their coverage of corruption, crime, and human rights abuses. Since 1986, there have been 199 journalists killed in the Philippines, based on the data and monitoring of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and Rappler. The NUJP included only media workers who were killed in relation to their job. Media Killing under each Administration Of the last six presidents, from Corazon Aquino to Rodrigo Duterte, the highest number of killed journalists was under Gloria Macapagal Arroyo with 103 – 32 of them massacred in Maguindanao. This was followed by Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s presidency with 32 deaths. The lowest number of journalists killed was under Joseph Estrada with only five, because the former president served for only three years before he was ousted in 2001. Media Killing under each Administration Duterte’s violent rhetoric – publicly threatening suspected drug personalities, activists, and even journalists, among others – and problematic government policies have placed the Philippines under a climate of fear and culture of impunity.Government data shows that at least 6,252 people were killed in which 23 Journalists, media workers in the police anti-drug operations from July 1, 2016, to May 31, 2022. Media Killing under each Administration Corazon Aquino's rise to the presidency brought only a brief pause in the Philippines' bitter political strife, which has taken a high toll on journalists as well as other civilians. Since Aquino took office, at least 17 journalists have been killed. Five were killed in crossfire, four were targeted by the Communist-backed New People's Army, and four were killed after criticizing the military or corrupt local officials. One journalist was killed by a vigilante during an argument about Communism. Details on three additional cases are inconclusive. Media Killing under each Administration Journalists are being killed under the administration of Philippine President Fidel Ramos at a higher rate than under his predecessors, a private media organization says. Seven journalists were killed and one is missing and feared dead since the Ramos administration was installed in June 1992, according to information the Philippine Movement for Press Freedom (PMPF) provided UCA News on Sept. 7 Fidel Ramos (11 killed over six years, or an average of two per year) Media Killing under each Administration In the first 12 months in office of Marcos, or from July 2022 to June 2023, NUJP has recorded 83 incidents of media attacks, including the killing of three journalists, the physical attack of two others, and 21 reported incidents of harassment. Lapid’s case became highly sensational that it reexposed the poor system of the country’s jails. His death also led to quarrels between government officials, specifically Justice Secretary Boying Remulla and former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag. Media Killings : Top 5 Stories 1. Maguindanao Massacre 2. Marlene Esperat (2005) 3. Percival Mabasa (2022) 4. Juan "DJ Johnny Walker" Jumalon (2023) 5. Renato Blanco (2022) Maguindanao Massacre (2009) -The Maguindanao massacre, also called the Ampatuan massacre. On the morning of November 23, 2009 mass graves of victims were discovered took place in the town of Ampatuan in the Maguindanao province (now Maguindanao del Sur) on the island of Mindanao. The abduction and subsequent killing of the 58 victims occurred while they were in route to submit a certificate of candidacy for Buluan deputy mayor Esmael Mangudadatu.  The Maguindanao massacre has been labeled In 2019, 28 of the accused the worst incident for journalists in history by were convicted of multiple the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), murder and 15 others of with at least 34 journalists confirmed to have serving as accessories to the died. The Philippines was the second most slaughter, in a case that took dangerous nation for journalists, after Iraq, a decade to be heard in the according to the CPJ before the Maguindanao Philippines labyrinthine and tragedy. politicized justice system. The battle for complete justice, journalists, advocates and the families of victims say, is not over. https://rsf.org/sites/default/files/styles/desktop_entete_full/public/rsf_drupal7/philippines20191122ok_1okgeneral.jpg?itok=TRl6RBc8 Maguindanao Massacre  Marlene Esperat (2005) Marlene Garcia Esperat was a chemist at the Department of Agriculture before she became an investigative journalist. She revealed that government officials in the 1990s had stolen 60% of the money set for agricultural support, which disadvantaged farmers. She wrote a complaint of fraud under anti-graft provisions On March 24, 2005. Marlene Garcia-Esperat was shot in the head in front of her children by a gunman who stormed into her home and produced a.45-caliber handgun. https://cpj.org/reports/2007/10/road/  Marlene Esperat (2005) Garcia-Esperat, a radio broadcaster and journalist on the southern island of Mindanao, had exposed corruption in the government and gained a lot of enemies. But the murder serves as reminder of the dangers journalists often face in the Philippines-the country notorious for its bad journalism environment, even for a country with a thriving, watchful press.  Percival Mabasa (2022) Percival Mabasa who is a radio comentator at the DWBL (1242 AM) Radyo kaibigan was shot dead at the age of 63 years old by unidentified gunmen in Las Pinas, Metro Manila, on Monday night October 3, 2022. In the Philippines, there have been several targeted murders of journalists, this being the most recent. Since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. assumed office on June 30, Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid online and on-air, has been the second journalist to be assassinated. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/05/killing-radio-journalist-philippines-adds-grim-toll Percival Mabasa (2022) Mabasa gained notoriety for his criticism of former President Rodrigo Duterte and his "war on drugs" as well as Marcos, the late dictator's son. He frequently streamed his opinion on Facebook. On-air, Mabasa also discussed the practice of "red tagging" government detractors, including socialist activists. His "bold and sharp commentaries cut through the barrage of fake news," according to a Facebook statement from Mabasa's family. https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/10/05/killing-radio-journalist-philippines-adds-grim-toll Percival Mabasa (2022) Juan "DJ Johnny Walker" Jumalon (2023) While Juan Jumalon was doing live broadcasting on his Sunday morning show on 94.7 Gold FM, two men broke into his residence which is in the town of Calamba, in the Northern part of the Philippines. Gunmen barged into the studio and fatally shot and killed the journalist, while the other entered the studio and held a member of Jumalon's household staff at gunpoint. Jumalon is seen slumped in his chair with his head tilted back, wearing his red baseball cap, in screen shots from the video of the shooting, which was livestreamed on Facebook before it was removed. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/07/philippine-journalist-shot-dead-live-air Juan "DJ Johnny Walker" Jumalon (2023) According to the statement, Jumalon is the fourth media professional to be assassinated since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office in June of last year. Facebook no longer streams Sunday's live event, but online video footage of the event shows Jumalon paused and turned away from the camera before two what appeared to be gunshots are heard. The Facebook page 94.7 Gold Mega Calamba FM, a Visayan- language station with over 2,900 followers, was often where Jumalon's broadcasts were aired. The show's callers frequently talked about a variety of topics including relationships and local problems. https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/11/07/philippine-journalist-shot-dead-live-air Renato Blanco (2022) On September 18, 2022, around 6 p.m. Sunday, radio broadcaster Renato Blanco was fatally stabbed in Mabinay town on the island of Negros. Renato Blanco, a radio station anchor for 102.1 dyRY FM Mabinay. Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vega, director of Police Regional Office-Central Visayas, stated that the victim went to the barangay to visit his buddy Wilbert Amada when the latter's 48-year-old brother, Charles, showed up and stabbed him without cause. Blanco was taken to Mabinay Community Hospital after being stabbed in the left shoulder. Dr. Rochelle Kristine Bokingkito, the attending physician, declared him dead onsite. The suspect turned himself in to Josephine Amada, the barangay captain of Himucdungon, following the incident. The suspect also flipped the 10-inch knife that was used in the crime. The police investigation revealed that the defendant became enraged with the victim for using his radio program to criticize his family. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/radioman-stabbed-to-death-in-negros-oriental Renato Blanco (2022) Blanco, a radio commentator at the local Power 102.1 DYRY RFM Mabinay, frequently reported on local politics, corruption, and social issues. The station representative said Blanco had alleged on his regular “Rakrakan sa Hapon Bulls Eye with Rey Blanco” radio program that Armada and his family members were involved in local corruption, including an overpricing scheme that resulted in local power outages. The representative said Blanco had also reported on illegal quarrying, overpricing of medical supplies purchased during the pandemic, and alleged electoral fraud at this year’s May elections that caused thousands to march in the town’s streets in protest. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/local-news/radioman-stabbed-to-death-in-negros-oriental  MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 1. Maguindanao Massacre (2009) The Association of Broadcasters of the Philippines, or KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas), strongly condemned the Maguindanao Massacre, also called the Ampatuan Massacre. The massacre was regarded by the KBP as a violation of press freedom and democracy.It expressed its outrage and anger at the targeted killings of journalists, which it believes are an attempt to suppress the press. KBP emphasized the importance of protecting journalists and advancing press freedom in the Philippines. The group stressed the value of journalists in educating the public and exposing corruption, particularly in difficult regions like Maguindanao. They urged policy changes to shield journalists from recurrence and emphasized that it is the responsibility of the government to protect them. The KBP and other media groups have been fighting for justice and greater protections for journalists in the wake of the Maguindanao Massacre, which continues to be a turning point in the Philippines' fight for press freedom.  MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 2. Marlene Esperat (2005) Statement of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ), the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA) on the 5th anniversary of the killing of Marlene Esperat FIVE YEARS have passed since Marlene Esperat was killed in Tacurong City in the southern Philippine province of Sultan Kudarat, apparently for exposing corruption in the Department of Agriculture regional office in Cotabato City. It took over two years for her killers to be convicted, but the masterminds who ordered her death have not been tried or even apprehended. It is not as if the justice system has no suspects. The suspected masterminds are both government employees, and have in fact returned to their place of work in the Department of Agriculture, as a result of both the government’s indifference and even collusion, since it was their superiors who allowed them to return to their posts. The immediate reason both suspects have not only been free but are also at work is the result of a petition they filed before the Court of Appeals asking that the warrant of arrest issued against them be suspended, and which the Court granted.  MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 2. Marlene Esperat (2005) The Esperat killing resonates with the echoes of a larger conspiracy: the fertilizer scam of 2004 in which former DA undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-joc” Bolante figured prominently, and for which he has not been called to account. Apparently Esperat, by exposing the anomalies in the regional DA, uncovered in 2005 part of the conspiracy that helped assure the so-called election of Mrs. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo – thus the impunity from arrest and prosecution of the alleged masterminds in her murder. For so long as these suspected masterminds are not prosecuted, for so long will the Esperat case be among the most severe cases of impunity in the killing of journalists in the Philippines – and for so long will the killers of journalists be encouraged to kill and kill again. That is why it is imperative that the two suspects’ petition for certiorari and prohibition asking the Cagayan de Oro Court of Appeals to declare the denial of their motion to dismiss the case against them as a grave abuse of discretion by the Tacurong City RTC judge should be immediately resolved, even as the media and press community continues to monitor developments in the effort to prosecute the masterminds, and to demand justice for Marlene Esperat. MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 3. Percival Mabasa (2022) In a statement, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security strongly condemned the “senseless killing.” “Rest assured that the PTFOMS will not rest until the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice,” read the statement, adding that “there is absolutely no justification for murder.” The National Press Club of the Philippines also condemned the incident, saying that press freedom is enshrined in the country’s Constitution and “nobody should be deprived of life” for expressing what they believed in. The Philippine National Police (PNP) was urged by the NUJP to hold all of the offenders accountable. MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 3. Percival Mabasa (2022) “We call on the public to join us in condemning yet another murder of a journalist. We call on the PNP to hold the perpetrators accountable”. the statement said. The media group claims that Mabasa's passing demonstrates that journalism remains a "dangerous" profession in the Philippines. Under the Marcos Jr. presidency, he is the second journalist to be killed. Radio host Rey Blanco suffered a fatal knife wound in Mabinay, Negros Oriental, on September 18, 2022. According to the NUJP statement, “That the incident took place in Metro Manila indicates how brazen the perpetrators were, and how authorities have failed to protect journalism as well as ordinary citizens from harm,” It further stated, “We condole with [Mabasa’s] family, including his brother and veteran journalist Roy Mabasa,” MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 4. Juan "DJ Johnny Walker" Jumalon (2023) RSF shocked by assassination of a radio journalist during a live broadcast Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Philippine government to take immediate action to investigate the murder of a radio host during a live broadcast and to put an end to impunity for crimes against journalists. “The murder of Juan Jumalon is deeply shocking and must not be left unpunished. We urge the Philippine Department of Justice to conduct a swift investigation to determine the motives and identify the perpetrators. We also call on President Ferdinand Marcos Junior's administration to take concrete steps to put an end to the violence committed against Philippine journalists with almost total impunity.” IPI condemns on-air killing of radio journalist Juan Jumalon MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 4. Juan "DJ Johnny Walker" Jumalon (2023) The shooting of Filipino radio journalist Juan Jumalon during a live broadcast is severely condemned by the International Press Institute (IPI). IPI urges authorities to conduct a thorough and open investigation into the murder and bring those responsible to justice. “The shocking killing of Jumalon is a reminder of the grave dangers faced by journalists in the Philippines”, IPI Deputy Director Scott Griffen said. “This horrendous act underscores the urgent need for authorities in the Philippines to step up efforts to safeguard journalist safety and end the cycle of impunity that endangers journalists’ lives. We call on law enforcement to carry out a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into the killing of Juan Jumalon and hold those responsible to account.” MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 5. Renato Blanco (2022) The September 18 killing of Filipino radio presenter Renato Blanco is severely condemned by the IPI global network. “To determine the reason for this murder and to hold all those accountable accountable, we urge authorities to carry out a comprehensive investigation. We further urge the newly elected Marcos administration to act immediately to increase the safety of the nation's journalists in order to fulfill its professed commitment to upholding press freedom.” MEDIA OPINIONS AND COMMENTARY 5. Renato Blanco (2022) “IPI is deeply saddened by the killing of Renato Blanco, and we extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues”, IPI Director of Advocacy Amy Brouillette said. “Authorities must thoroughly investigate the killing to determine whether Blanco was targeted for his work and bring those responsible to justice. Given the continuing violence and threats against journalists in the Philippines, we call on the new Marcos administration to demonstrate its commitment to press freedom by taking clear action to ensure the country’s journalists can do their work freely and safely.” “ I condemn the killings of broadcasters Renato Blanco and Percival Mabasa. The violent suppression of freedom of expression and media freedom affects society as a whole, which is why I urge the authorities to investigate the motives behind these crimes and ensure that their perpetrators are brought to justice.” -Audrey Azoulay | UNESCO Director-General  Summary : For many years, media killings have been a persistent and significant problem in the Philippines, endangering both democracy and press freedom. This violence frequently results from persistent issues like organized crime, political interests, and corruption that manifest as resentment toward reporters who are seeking to uncover the truth. Journalists often investigate and expose corruption and abuses by those in power. Many media killings are linked to politicians or influential figures who may be implicated in the stories journalists cover. The Philippine drug trade and organized crime have also contributed to the targeting of journalists, particularly those reporting on crime syndicates and illegal activities.  Summary : When journalists report on these groups, they face serious risks, as these criminal organizations often seek to silence anyone who threatens their operations. As it guarantees government transparency and accountability, a free press is essential to a thriving democracy. When journalists are silenced, the public's right to know is breached and citizens are deprived of important information that affects their lives. Journalists are essential in exposing abuse, corruption, and injustice. These problems go unnoticed while their work is hindered, which allows society to continue suffering. In order to create an atmosphere where truth may triumph over dishonesty and corruption, media killings must end. REFERENCES: https://www.rappler.com/philippines/numbers-filipino-journalists-killed-since-1986/ https://ipi.media/philippines-ipi-condemns-on-air-killing-of-radio-journalist-juan-jumalon/ https://ipi.media/philippines-radio-broadcaster-renato-blanco-fatally-stabbed/ https://ipi.media/verdict-looms-10-years-after-philippine-press-massacre/ https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/03064229008534778 https://nujp.org/state-of-media-2021-coming-together-under-crisis-conditions/ https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/11/03/1755259/nujp-media-killed-impunity-despite-vows-past-present-admins https://www.rappler.com/philippines/numbers-filipino-journalists-killed-since-1986/