Incoming Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.
PHOTO BY DENNIS JAY SANTOS / INQUIRER MINDANAO FILE PHOTO
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has rejected the dare of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte to stop covering him, saying that journalists will not renounce their duty to the nation despite differences with the incoming chief executive.
“As for your dare to boycott you, we are very sorry but we will not, cannot, indulge you. Besides, it was not a call made by the Philippine media, for while we may have our differences, as we have had with past presidents, it has never occurred to us to abdicate our duty, which is to keep watch on government and help ensure it does right by the governed and to scrutinize and ask the hard questions,” the NUJP said in a statement on Friday.
“For serving the people is as much the mandate of each and every independent Filipino journalist as it is yours,” it added.
In response to the boycott call by international group Reporters Without Borders following Duterte’s justification of media killings, the President-elect on Thursday evening slammed journalists anew and dared them to stop coverage in his city.
READ: ‘Don’t fuck with me,’ he tells media
“Kill journalism in this country. Stop journalism in this country, if you are worth your salt. If not, then I will think lowly of you. [That would mean] that you are like cowards,” Duterte said. “I was saying (expletive) do not threaten me. I said I’m ready to lose the presidency, my honor or my life. Just do not f*** with me.”
“Mag-boycott kayo. I’m urging you. Make this trip your last in Davao City. I do not care if no one is covering me,” he added.
Asked about what his administration would do about media killings, Duterte earlier said journalists deserved do to die because they were corrupt.
READ: Duterte: Media corruption root cause of journalists’ killings
Duterte said journalists “think of themselves too much” and told them not to regard their profession as “the only field of purity” as he criticized the “vultures” among their ranks, or those who engage in corrupt activities.
‘Nothing can justify murder’
The NUJP admitted that corruption exists in the field of journalism, but stood its ground that it would never justify media killings.
READ: NUJP to Duterte: Nothing justifies journalist killings
“We do and will always take exception to your sweeping generalization that “karamihan” of the fallen were done in because they were corrupt, for the simple reason that this is just not so. But even if it were, we maintain that nothing, not corruption, and certainly not truth-telling, can ever justify murder,” the statement read.
“That, we presume, is why we have laws and a government to ensure these laws are obeyed and, most importantly, to ensure the protection of each and every citizen. We are sure you agree that journalists, both the good and the bad, are citizens entitled to equal protection of the law,” it added.
The group said Duterte was right when he said that it was not within his powers to protect each and every journalist in the country, but added that it was expected of the government to “care enough that murder does not go unpunished.”
“Yes, Sir, we do and will demand this of you as well, in the name of all 174 of our colleagues who have been murdered since 1986 for it is part of your duty to ensure justice for them, as well as for the legions whose murders remain unaddressed, thus perpetuating the impunity with which those who do not value life continue to snatch it at whim,” the NUJP said.
“We do hope you will be willing to help us and other media organizations address the often onerous working conditions faced by so many of our colleagues in the frontlines, the long hours for meager pay and, at times, deliberate orders to violate ethics at the risk of losing their jobs, that can push the desperate and the weak towards becoming, as you say, “vultures.” And yes, lest we forget, also make good on your pledge to end contractualization, which victimizes so many of our colleagues in major outfits, both in the national capital and the provinces. In this way, we hope we can, together, help improve conditions for those among us whose realities make them most prone to corruption,” it added.
The statement was signed by the NUJP executive committee chairperson Ryan Rosauro, vice chairperson Alwyn Alburo, secretary general Dabet Panelo, treasurer Che Delos Reyes, and auditor Kim Quitasol.
Other signatories were directors Julie Alipala, Angel Ayala, Nestor Burgos, Jo Clemente, Ver Cuizon, Nonoy Espina, Melvin Gascon, Len Olea, Raymund Villanueva, and Fred Villareal. IDL