Communications Sec. Sonny Coloma and President-elect Rodrigo Duterte. FILE PHOTOS
Following president-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial comment on media killings, Malacañang on Wednesday emphasized that journalists should be protected by the government against violence.
“It is the duty of government to arrest, prosecute and punish those responsible for violence against members of the media,” Communications Secretary Herminio “Sonny” Coloma Jr. said in a statement.
“We recognize the vital role played by journalists as purveyors of information in a democratic society. As citizens, they have a fundamental right to due process and equal protection of the laws of the land,” he said.
Without referring to Duterte, he added, “Hence, we deplore the proposition that some journalists may have been assaulted or killed in view of their alleged involvement in media corruption.”
Duterte on Tuesday evening cited corruption and irresponsible reporting as the reasons for violence against journalists.
READ: Duterte: Media corruption root cause of journalists’ killings
“Kaya namamatay kasi nabayaran na they take sides or nasobrahan nila ang atake (They are killed because they take bribes and take sides or excessively attack a person),” Duterte said. “It’s not because you’re a journalist you’re exempted from assassination if you’re a son of a bitch.”
The president-elect’s comments received flak from media groups, including the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.
READ: NUJP to Duterte: Nothing justifies journalist killings
“It is appalling that President-elect Rodrigo Duterte should justify the murder of journalists in the country by playing the corruption card,” the group said.
NUJP said that while corruption can be a possible cause of media violence, “It is a totally different thing to present this as a justification for taking life.”
“Murder is no joke. Neither is press freedom,” NUJP said.
The Philippines is considered the second most dangerous country for journalists, according to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ). The IFK said that in the last 25 years, 146 journalists have been killed in the country. IDL