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Knowing the Enemy: A license to kill journalists?

BAGUIO CITY (April 21) — Marlene Garcia Esperat, 45 years old, columnist of the weekly Midland Review in Tacurong City, in Mindanao, was shot dead by a gunman on her head in front of her children at 7 pm on March 24, 2005. The gunman casually walked away from the crime scene as if nothing happened. Esperat had been exposing graft and corruption within government agencies in Mindanao. A few days later, a PNP officer, who planned the killing, was arrested. But the alleged mastermind or masterminds, though identified, remain at large.

Roger Mariano, 44 years old, radio announcer of MBC-DzJC AM station in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, was peppered with 15 bullets from an M-16 armalite rifle while riding his motorcycle in the evening of July 31, 2004. He had been consistent in his anti-jueteng and anti-graft and corruption crusade. His killer is an alleged police officer.

Edgar Damalerio, a journalist of Pagadian City, was killed on May 2002. The killer, police officer, Guilermo Wapile surrendered to the PNP two years after. And this was only when media groups criticized the PNP for not arresting Wapile who roamed Pagadian City freely.

The cases of the above mentioned journalists have something in common: alleged perpetrators of the crimes are identified to be police and military agents of the state; their killings are traceable to their being journalists; their cases are far from being solved; and the cases happened in the provinces where law and order are not present.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), an organization of media practitioners nationwide, view that journalists’ lives, profession, and liberty are threatened. This happens despite the “reestablishment” of democracy in 1986 and the adoption of the 1987 Constitution where basic rights are incorporated under the Bill of Rights, including the press freedom and freedom of expression.

74 journalists killed since 1986

Since 1986, 74 journalists were killed. And what is most worrisome is that the most number of journalists slain were committed under Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s presidency, which started only in 2002. Records show that this year alone, three journalists were already killed with one who survived an ambush; 13 were killed last year; five during former Pres. Joseph Estrada’s term; 19 during the time of former Pres. Fidel Ramos; and 34 during the time of former Pres. Cory Aquino.

Thirty-two journalists were killed during the Marcos regime.

In all the cases of slain journalists since 1986, only a single case was resolved. Meaning, the culprit was charged in court and convicted. This sole case was that of Rey Pedronio, a writer of the Sunstar and anchorman of the RPN DzBS, both local media outfit in Baguio City. He was killed by a member of the state-supported paramilitary group Cordillera Peoples Liberation Army (CPLA).

ISAFPs “Knowing the Enemy”

While the lives and liberty of the journalists are at stake, the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) came out with its “Knowing the enemy” campaign. The PowerPoint presentation consisting of more than 300 slides listed progressive organizations, including media, as either communist fronts or influenced. Among the media listed as communist-influenced are the NUJP and the PCIJ. The former has been actively campaigning for press freedom and justice for journalists killed.

“Knowing the Enemy” is pure black propaganda which is aimed at diverting the people’s discontent against the present administration. It tries to institutionalize the vestige of martial law that threatens the basic civil and political rights.

But the effect of lumping media groups with the revolutionary armed groups led by the CPP institutionalizes risk to journalists and progressive organizations. Their life and liberty are already threatened without the benefit of due process. Not even court processes are considered first to prove their innocence. The ISAFP, in the slides, failed to establish the relations of the armed group with the media groups and other progressive organizations. By doing so, guns of the state military are always aimed at journalists as if they are enemies of the state. With the very low orientation of the state military and police agents on human rights, the killing of any government critic or rights advocate is their established norm. This now deviates from their constitutional rule which is to serve and protect the people.

The killing of journalists has proven that the rule of law in the provinces is too weak. It does not assure their security to life, profession, and liberty. The NUJP noted that most of those slain journalists were from the provinces. The barrel of the gun is the law in these areas. The legal system is easily influenced by those who can pay. This explains why justice for slain journalists remains to be a myth in the provinces. With the exception of the case of Pedronio where justice was realized through the bravery of his wife, the same things happen in the urban areas – justice moves at turtle’s pace.

Militaristic tendency

Media groups urged GMA to disown its involvement with the ISAFP’s “Knowing the enemy.” Though she claims to be a supporter of press freedom, no words came from her. And her silence means that that is an undeclared policy of her administration.

There is a sign that GMA has a strong tendency for adopting militaristic tactics and options. Strategic civil offices in her cabinet are manned by retired military men whose mindset is militarism. She has Eduardo Ermita as the executive secretary; General Angelo Reyes as the secretary of the DILG (Department of Interior and Local Government), General Leandro Mendoza as the secretary of the DOTC (Department of Transportation and Communication), among others.

Her militaristic tendency is observable in pushing as an urgent bill the anti-terrorism bills in Congress. While rights advocates like the media condemn terrorism, measures adopted should not institutionalize the disregard of the basic freedoms of expression, of the press, right to peaceably assemble, organize and petition the government for redress of grievances, among others. But the latest version of the anti-terror bill in the Congress strips the Filipinos of these basic right rights and disregards these rights considered to be fundamental under our democratic system.

The reason, as noted by progressive organizations, for GMA’s militaristic tendency should be revealed. There is a very strong people’s discontent due to the present administration’s pro-foreign capitalist and globalization policy. The effects, for example, of the unabated increase of oil prices is removing the smoke screen on the real nature of GMA – a rabid supporter of globalization. She is trying her best to establish a political and economic situation for a better market of the globalized economy. And she is doing it by all means.

The mortality data on journalists and the tendency speak for themselves – GMA can disregard the fundamental rights contained under our constitution to appease the international economic forces. # Arthur L. Allad-iw for NORDIS

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