Bishop on World Press Freedom Day: Truth is life

MANILA, Philippines – A Roman Catholic bishop believes that “promoting the truth is promoting life” and called for greater freedom of the press as the country commemorates World Press Freedom Day on Friday.

In an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) website, Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of the diocese of San Carlos in Negros Occidental said the Church “promotes freedom of the press” and underscored the importance of truth in journalism.

READ: Gutoc, Diokno call on gov’t to protect press freedom 

“Promoting the truth is promoting life. We join the call of respecting press freedom, respecting the truth and respecting human life,” Alminaza said.

Further, he said that journalists who were killed and jailed for doing their jobs “continue to inspire” and thanked those who keep on fighting for the truth “amidst the darkness”.

READ: Palace vows to fight disinformation, fake news on World Press Freedom Day 

“Justice for those who were jailed and killed but continue to inspire and their witnesses shines forth amidst the darkness,” he said.

Alminaza also said that he is praying for the “conversion” of those “who allowed themselves to be used to spread lies, sow fear and terror, abuse our freedom of expression, divide rather than unite for the common good.”

The CBCP article also took note of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines’  (NUJP) call for courage despite  efforts to “stifle” freedom of expression and thought.

“Let us take courage in the knowledge that no matter how despots strive to stifle freedom of expression and thought, the media, the truth, the people, will outlive them,” the NUJP said a statement.

READ: ‘Journos should hold power to account, uphold democracy at all times’ — Focap 

Meanwhile, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) reminded journalists of their critical duty to “hold power to account” and “uphold democracy at all times, no matter how difficult.”

“As the country’s fourth estate and as one of the world’s independent watchdogs, we believe journalists have a critical duty to hold power to account and to uphold democracy at all times, no matter how difficult,” the group said in a statement. /gsg