Cases of media slays are moving, says pres’l task force on media security

Presidential Task Force on Media Security head Paul Gutierrez

MANILA, Philippines — Media killings that took place during the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. are either already solved or the investigations are ongoing.

This is the statement of Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez on Monday.

Last Sunday, radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon became the fifth case of media killing during the term of Marcos.

“Sa ilalim po ng administrasyong Marcos, iyong pong naunang apat na media killings, lahat po ito ay considered resolved or ongoing sapagkat lahat po ng mga suspek po ay nakilala, nakasuhan po sa korte,” Gutierrez said during Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.

(Under the Marcos administration, the first four media killings, all of their cases are considered either resolved or ongoing, because all the suspects are already identified, charged in court.)

“Iyong iba po ay nakakulong. Iyong iba naman po ay subject ng ongoing manhunt investigation,” he added.

(Others are imprisoned. Still others are subjects of ongoing manhunt investigations.)

Prior to the murder of Jumalon, media deaths recorded by the task force included the following victims:

Rey Blanco, radio broadcaster

Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa, radio broadcaster

Cresenciano Bunduquin, radio broadcaster

Federico Gempesaw, radio broadcaster

Mabasa’s death triggered a chain of revelations in 2022.

The slay of the broadcaster led to the indictment of suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director Gerald Bantag in March this year.

Gutierrez said under Marcos’ administration, Philippines’ rank in the tally of 2023 Global Impunity Index by New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists went down.

Philippines dropped to 8th after being 7th in 2022.

Despite the slight drop, the committee still describes Philippines as a dangerous workplace for journalists.