The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) commemorates World Press Freedom Day with a renewed commitment to resist attacks on media freedom.
Under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the NUJP recorded 242 incidents of media freedom violations. Government and state security forces were responsible for 43 percent of these attacks.
Ten journalists have been killed. Although police declared two of these killings as unrelated to work, the state has failed to protect journalists and bring perpetrators to justice.
In the case of community journalist RJ Ledesma, the Philippine military falsely claimed he was a combatant to justify his murder. Another community journalist, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, remains detained on trumped-up terrorism financing charges. Both were repeatedly red-tagged before their arrests.
Red-tagging persists, with 39 incidents since June 2016. The Marcos Jr. administration refuses to abolish the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict, despite calls from UN experts and human rights groups. It also ignores the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling that red-tagging threatens life, liberty, and security.
Libel and the Data Privacy Act are used to silence journalists. A woman broadcaster in Roxas City and another in Cagayan de Oro faced cyber libel charges, with the latter also accused of Data Privacy Act violations. Politicians have threatened journalists with such charges to deter controversial reporting.
Other harassment includes surveillance, physical and verbal attacks, denial of access to information, cyber attacks, and online harassment.
Recommendations from UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan have been ignored. The government has failed to: stop media killings and prosecute perpetrators; decriminalize libel; end red-tagging; and enact a Freedom of Information Law.
The climate of impunity persists, and no safety measures can fully protect journalists. Attacks aim to hide or distort the truth for selfish interests. Journalists resist repression to continue their mission of truth-telling, empowering the public to take action. The NUJP calls on the public to stand with them in defending media freedom and democracy.
