By ARTHUR L. ALLAD-IW
www.nordis.net

The Philippines had gained the tag as the world’s deadliest country for journalists, overtaking war torn Iraq and Afghanistan. The November 23 Maguindanao massacre, where at least 57 were killed , including 30 practicing journalists and media workers remains the most brutal. As the call of support from the international community – particularly journalists’ organizations – is overflowing, we expected, at least, that the culture of impunity (of killing journalists) would lessen. Instead, the killings of journalists are fast turning from bad to worst.

Last Thursday, radio commentator Eugene Paet (49) of the dwRS in Ilocos Sur was shot and wounded by two gunmen riding on a motorcycle. Popularly known as Commander Uno, Paet was going home riding in his motorcycle on the highway in Bantay, Ilocos Sur when the shooting happened.

Despite his wounds, he was able to call the attention of passersby, who brought him to a hospital where he was successfully operated on.

Media practitioners, under the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Ilocos Sur chapter, immediately condemned the act. NUJP Ilocos Sur chairman Arlon Serdenia condemned the shooting of Paet as another blow to press freedom. He urged authorities to immediately investigate the incident and file appropriate case or cases against the perpetrators. Journalists in Ilocos believed that the shooting was job related.

From Baguio City, the NUJP chapter condemned the continuing act of impunity against journalists. Desiree Caluza, the chapter secretary-general issued strongly worded statements on the incident: “We cannot afford to have another act of violence while the rest of the country mourns the dead of the Ampatuan massacre. The attempted killing in Ilocos Sur only proves that the culture of impunity strongly exists.”

The shooting of Paet was the second attack on journalists since the Maguindanao massacre. Last December 24, radio commentator Ismael Pasigma of Labason, Zamboanga Del Norte was gunned down causing his death.
In Ilocos many years ago, Roger Mariano, another radio commentator in Ilocos, was shot to death. The killers were arrested but not the mastermind. The trial of the case was transferred to manila, but the perpetrators are not yet convicted.
It is very interesting to observe that most of the journalists killed were from the provinces where the NUJP believes are places where the implementations of laws were at their weakest.

NUJP records show that since Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took over as president in 2001, there were 99 journalists killed where most, of the cases remain unsolved.

All in all from 1986 up to the present, there were 136 journalists killed. It therefore shows that the Philippines is the world’s deadliest country for journalists to practice their trade and it is under the present administration of Gloria Arroyo that the biggest number of journalists were killed.

But are we going to keep our silence? Of course NO! As our colleague Desiree Caluza says: “Instead of fearing (this culture of impunity), there should be rage among the people. They should speak up, condemn this (culture of impunity), and do something to put an end to it.”

And as January 23 approaches, again media practitioners will hold activities to call for justice for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre and all journalists killed.

The call for justice is a commitment that journalists affirm and we need the support of the broader public. # nordis.net