Journalists urged to resist alleged attempts to ‘dictate’ the press

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) is urging media workers to unite and resist what it claims as the government’s “attempts to dictate”  the press.

This after members of the Presidential Security Group  stopped Rappler reporter Pia Ranada from entering Malacañang on Tuesday morning.

“We call on all colleagues to unite and reject this outrage and to continue resisting all attempts to dictate what we can and should report,” the NUJP said in a statement.

“(W)e are heartened by the certainty that no self-respecting and independent Filipino journalist will allow this outright assault on press freedom and the people’s right to know from the president himself pass unchallenged,” it said.

“We owe this to our profession, we owe this to the people, we owe this to the nation,” the statement said.

The administration recently hit Rappler and the Inquirer for reporting issues critical of President Duterte and his officials, including the latest controversy on the P18-billion acquisition of Philippine Navy frigates allegedly involving Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go.

The journalists’ union said the administration’s latest act would send a chilling effect to anyone who would criticize the government.

“When the highest official in the land chooses to wage a personal vendetta against an individual, whether a journalist or a media outfit, it sends a clear and chilling signal that everyone else better report only what he wants you to or else,” it said.