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Baguio media observe Press Freedom Day

BAGUIO CITY (May 4) – In celebration of the World Press Freedom Day last May 3, the Baguio-Benguet chapter of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) held a media forum on upholding press freedom at the old chapel of Camp John Hay last May 4.

Speakers in the said forum include Prof. Gary Mariano of De La Salle University, chairman of the Philippine Press Council (PPC), Atty. Randy Kinaud, secretary-general of Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA) and Arthur Allad-iw, national vice chairperson of the NUJP.

According to the New York based Committee on the Protection of Journalists, the Philippines now tops the list of the most dangerous countries for journalists, to be followed by Iraq, Colombia and Bangladesh.

Bills of repression

The forum focused on the Senate Bills (SB) 1120, 1828 and the Anti-Terrorism Bill. Mariano explained that these bills are possible threats to press freedom. The SB 1120 or the Right to Reply Act by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel, says that the public or the readers should also have the right to comment or give reactions to the create a code of ethics, from which sanctions for malpractice of journalists could be acquired.

According to Mariano, instead of giving journalists more freedom in reporting, the bills are an infringement to press freedom. SB 1120 removes the editors and publishers prerogative to screen the letters to the editor. While in SB 1828, the creation of a set standard for journalists gives only a single category for all. He also cited that the person or the group that would set the standard for journalists is also questionable for the skills of the journalists could not be standardized.

Mariano added that journalism, as a profession is truly debatable, for the nature of the work of journalists is to report events and express opinions, unlike in other profession where they have to ensure the service they give to the public.

“We can be professionals without being professionals, [being a] professional is a behavior. But professional, the other side of the profession, is the title. By being professional, we can resort to competence, responsibility and commitment,” Mariano added.

Atty. Randy Kinaud discussed the Anti-terrorism bill where terrorism is defined as an act that is threatening or intimidating. Kinaud also explained the sanctions that could be given to suspected terrorists, such as detention for 30 days without filing a formal case and a freeze order to the bank accounts from the court. He also shared that the Anti-terrorism bill also allows the formation of an anti-terrorist council that will have the power to classify organizations as terrorists. To the groups or persons that were proven as terrorists, they will be charged a fine of P10 million.

Kinaud explained that the provisions in the Anti-terrorism bill could be used for abuse. He set as an example the provision on the immunity from prosecution of the people who would stand as witnesses in terrorism cases. People in authority he said, could easily abuse their power and use this provision to turn into witnesses and be free from liabilities. He also added that the anti-terrorism bill would also limit the reports that journalists could do, for interviews with the communists such as New People’s Army (NPA) could be considered as a terrorist act, and reporters could be easily charged with conspiracy.

Allad-iw presented NUJP’s position paper to the anti-terrorism bill. He cited that of the 67 cases of journalists’ death, only one was resolved. In “Knowing the Enemy”, a Power point presentation by the Intelligence services of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), the NUJP and Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), were listed as the enemies of the state. He also shared that the bill threatens the basic rights, such as the right to live and the right to information. Before the forum ended, the NUJP launched the petition signing against the Anti-terrorism bill, which is still ongoing. # Carole Jean Cupag and Kristine Marie Torres/UP interns for NORDIS

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