NUJP to gov’t: End impunity for crimes vs journalists

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) on Monday demanded that the government help end impunity for crimes against journalists and take decisive action to protect media workers.

The call came as the world observed the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on Nov. 2.

READ: NUJP seeks arrest of mastermind in Cagayan de Oro radioman’s murder

In a statement, the NUJP stressed that impunity is not a new problem and that every new attack highlights the need for stronger accountability mechanisms and more decisive government action.

“NUJP has long called for justice for journalists who have been killed, accountability for those behind the attacks, and concrete measures to protect media workers. Yet, these calls continue to be made as cases remain unresolved and attacks persist,” it said.

“Government commitments must be measured by the cases resolved, perpetrators held accountable, and journalists protected—not by statements and promises alone,” the group added.

The NUJP further said that “there can be no genuine press freedom where journalists are killed, threatened, or silenced with impunity.”

It also stressed that there can be no justice while those responsible for media killings remain free and those who seek the truth continue to face danger.

‘A dangerous place for journalists‘

The NUJP Media Safety Office has documented 266 incidents of attacks and threats against media workers and at least 12 journalists killed under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Only three of these killings have been classified as non-work-related, based on data from the Presidential Task Force on Media Security.

“The Ampatuan Massacre, which claimed the lives of 58 people, including 32 media workers on November 23, 2009, remains one of the starkest examples of impunity in the country. Seventeen years after the massacre, the victims’ families continue to seek full justice,” it said.

“While the December 2019 convictions marked an important development, the case remains far from resolved. Appeals by the convicted individuals remain pending before the Court of Appeals and dozens of other accused remain at large,” the NUJP also said.

The NUJP also noted that the fight for justice continued for photojournalist Reynaldo “Bebot” Momay, whose remains have never been recovered.

In August 2026, Momay’s daughter again appealed to the Court of Appeals to recognize him as the 58th victim of the massacre, following the trial court’s refusal to include him in the list of victims.

Developments in cases

Meanwhile, the NUJP acknowledged developments in other cases, which it said showed that accountability is possible and must be pursued.

One such development was the conviction of two men for the 2019 murder of Kidapawan broadcaster Eduardo “Ed” Dizon, seven years after he was killed.

The recent arrest of a suspect in connection with the shooting of Capiz broadcaster Jay Lavapiez was also a step toward accountability, the NUJP said.

“These developments matter. But arrests and convictions must not be treated as the end of the pursuit of justice. They must be followed through with proper investigations, prosecution, and accountability for everyone involved,” the statement read.

“In the Lavapiez case, authorities must establish the roles of everyone involved, including the gunman and those who may have ordered or financed the attack. All responsible must be brought before the courts.”

The NUJP also lamented that the failed attempt to arrest former Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag in Ifugao on Nov. 1 highlighted “how accountability can remain elusive, particularly when those facing charges are powerful or influential.”

Bantag remains wanted in connection with the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa and the death of alleged middleman Cristito Villamor Palana.

“The continued failure to bring him before the courts underscores the need for authorities to sustain efforts to locate and arrest him so that he can answer the charges in court,” the NUJP said.

Furthermore, the killings of Gerry Ortega and Mabasa also underscore the need to pursue justice beyond holding the direct perpetrators accountable. 

It said that those who ordered, financed, or enabled these crimes must also face justice.

The recent killing of broadcast journalist Adrian Loterte in Daraga, Albay, on Oct.12, 2026, is another reminder that the threat of violence against journalists persists, the NUJP said. /gsg