Half of media killings since 1987 solved, says media security task force

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MANILA, Philippines — Half the media killings reported in the Philippines since 1987 have already been solved, said Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Paul Gutierrez on Thursday.

According to Gutierrez, United Nations Special Rapporteur for freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan was surprised upon checking the numbers.

“She was surprised that the United Nations was not aware that more than half of the media killings since 1987, half of that, more than half of that, they do not know that these have been solved by the government,” Gutierrez said in Filipino in the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.

Gutierrez, however, did not specify the number of media killings.

Khan is in the Philippines to assess the situation on free speech.

On the same day, Khan also met with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin at Malacañan Palace.

According to the PTFoMS’ Facebook page, the two spoke for an hour about the status of press freedom under the term of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.