Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma (Photo from https://pcoo.gov.ph/)
MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Thursday assured the public of its commitment to end culture of impunity in the country.
“We continue to work with the concerned government agencies. Our directive is to intensify their investigations because we could not allow the continuous killing of journalists in the exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of the press,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a press briefing Thursday.
Coloma said the government has undertaken measures to speed up the litigation process especially the Maguinadano massacre where the government has assigned three Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges.
“If you could remember, during the time of unprecedented media killings, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other law enforcement agencies have vowed to step up their actions for the arrest of the perpetrators of journalists,” he said.
He quoted the President saying the control of firearms is a response to the systemic problem.
“This is part of the continuing efforts to stem the tide of violence against journalists and against persons in general,” he said.
A report from international group Human Rights Watch earlier said the Philippine government failed to end impunity in extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances.
It added that the government’s failure to bring to justice those responsible for the killing of journalists highlighted the climate of impunity for rights abusers in the Philippines.
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