đź“· National Union of Journalists of the Philippines
A MONTH after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. cited the need of the critical press to compel government officials to do the best for the national interest, a group of journalists dared the Malacanang chief executive to walk his talk.
In a statement, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines cited two incidents which according to them, are directly the opposite of what has been happening under the Marcos administration.
NUJP cited an incident which took place in Iloilo City, where Mayor Mayor Jerry Treñas reportedly threatened the Iloilo City Hall Press Corps over stories on cultural agencies looking into the legality of the demolition of the art deco facade of the Central Market in a Cultural Tourism Heritage Zone of Iloilo City.
The demolition of the 80-year-old facade in February, according to local newsmen, was implemented sans public consultation and, according to National Commission on Culture and the Arts commissioner Ivan Anthony Henares, was a “hot topic” among cultural agencies.
However, Henares later on disowned the statement and took a swipe at what aptly referred to as “irresponsible journalism,” compelling the Daily Guardian to come out with corrections.
Notwithstanding the rectification, Treñas, in a press conference, threatened to press charges for libel against the reporter and editors of the publication.
“You know, you know? Ari ha, based on what you are saying, I can file cases against you! Because Commissioner Henares himself has disowned the statement that you are reporting! Ari di sakon ang text! Wala kamo kabalo ga-text di siya sa akon? I can file against you!”
The mayor has since apologized for the threat, which he called “an outburst.”
However, the NUJP said that libel and cyber libel have long been used as a tool against the press and against freedom of expression.
“Decriminalization of libel because of how it has been used to deadly effect against journalists, chilling freedom of expression, [and] chilling media freedom” was among the recommendations that UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan made during her country visit earlier this year,” the NUJP added.
“Even just the threat of libel, especially by a local chief executive against a young reporter, has the potential to chill reporting in a town, city or province and it is to the credit of the Iloilo City media that they have refused to be chilled.”
In another instance, the NUJP took note of the threat hurled by no less than Marcos’ Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Larry Gadon who said on the air that the offices of media company ABS-CBN should be burned down for what he claimed was a twisting of his words about how observations that life is hard in the Philippines were just “haka-haka” or imagination and speculation.
The threat — made on Teleradyo Serbisyo, which operates in the ABS-CBN compound — was made despite Gadon actually saying the words he was reported to have said and despite other newsrooms reporting the same and doing it earlier than ABS-CBN did.
“As a presidential adviser, Gadon is presumed to be acting on the behalf of his principal in his public activities — and very few things are more public than making threats on live radio during afternoon primetime.”
“That Gadon was making threats over a report that was not even critical of him or his statements reduces Marcos’ statement to mere rhetoric.”
“There are avenues for public officials and the public to seek clarifications and corrections to stories but threatening journalists with libel cases and arson should not be among them,” NUJP further said.
Amid these developments, the NUJP called on the Presidential Task Force on Media Security “to look into the threats made by Treñas and by Gadon as well as the effects they will have on the media workers the task force was created to protect.”
“We call as well on Marcos himself to put his promises into concrete action: Declare the decriminalization of libel a priority and discipline Gadon for contradicting his weeks-old declaration about welcoming a critical press,” the group concluded. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
