NextGen Day

The directive of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to designate officers of the Philippine National Police (PNP) as Media Security Focal Persons in each province and city nationwide has been welcomed by Undersecretary Jose Joel Sy Egco, executive director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS).

“With the elections just around the corner, we are grateful to DILG Secretary Eduardo Ao and Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya for this welcome and significant development in our quest to defend the lives, liberty, and security of media workers,” Egco said in a statement on Wednesday.

“This is a big milestone in protecting journalists across the archipelago from threats and other types of violence,” he continued.

One of the reasons for the request to designate Focal Persons coursed through Malaya as Undersecretary for Plans, Public Affairs, and Communication was cited by Egco earlier as an increase in incidents of violence against journalists before, during, and after the elections, which the Task Force seeks to prevent.

“The tragic massacre in Ampatuan, Maguindanao in November 2009 serves as a continual reminder that journalists are most endangered in the months leading up to, during, and after every election,” Egco stated. “We’re not going to let this happen again.”

The DILG acted quickly and favorably on PTFoMS’ request in anticipation of an increase in violent incidents involving journalists during election season, as it shared Egco’s views on the importance of protecting journalists and other media practitioners from threats and violence during this critical period.

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are both members of the President’s Task Force.

According to Egco, the Focal Persons will be the first to receive and respond to all threats levied against any media worker, even in the most remote corners of the country, as the “first line of protection” of journalists.

He added that the Focal Persons will work closely with the appointed PTFoMS Special Agents (SAs) to resolve situations of violence against journalists as quickly as possible.

“We took this initiative to request high-ranking PNP officers as Focal Persons because we foresee what will be required in the future in terms of safety and security for members of the 4th Estate as mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte in his Administrative Order No. 1 (AO1),” the Palace official explained.

PTFoMS was established by Duterte in 2016 to put an end to the rash of media homicides that occurred during previous administrations. By 2021, it had overseen the 51st case of media killing that resulted in a guilty judgment, bringing the total number of media murderers convicted by the courts to 68.

He claimed that the country’s media freedom is stronger than ever, as evidenced by Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2021 Press Freedom Index, which shows that the country’s ranking has stayed better for the past five years than during previous administrations. As a result of the pandemic, the RSF reported a global fall in the Index.

According to Egco, Duterte received the lowest grade in the index, while late President Noynoy Aquino received the highest.

He went on to say that during the current government, much fewer journalists have been killed than during the administrations of former President Gloria Arroyo or Aquino, demonstrating Duterte’s political will to halt media violence.

Egco also pointed out that, despite Duterte’s unwavering support, it was only in 2019 that the perpetrators of the Ampatuan Massacre were finally brought to justice when the masterminds and their cohorts were found guilty of multiple counts of murder, including members of the once-powerful Ampatuan clan.

58 people were killed in the Ampatuan Massacre in 2009, including 32 journalists. The episode, widely regarded as the world’s worst attack on journalists, ranked the country among the worst places for journalists in 2009.

“In fact, despite the pandemic, the Philippine media is as free, colorful, and dynamic as ever, contrary to statements made by loud critics who have made very little contribution to resolving the problems plaguing Philippine media,” he stated.

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