FOR MORE THAN twenty years in the history of Philippine journalism, despite the viral news gathered that there was no local journalists have been reported killed in the various part of the country this year.
The need for continued vigilance in protecting press freedom was underscored by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) as it cited several factors that may have influenced the data.
The CPJ, an independent group established in 1981 and based in New York, USA, promotes press freedom worldwide, “to defend the rights of journalists to report news safely and without fear of reprisal.”
“The Philippines marked its first year in two decades without a journalist killing, which analysts said could indicate that President Marcos has taken a comparatively milder tone toward the press than his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who frequently threatened the media,” CPJ stated in its February 2024 report.
CONSISTENTLY DEADLY
The Philippines is listed as one of six countries “consistently deadly” for journalists from 1998 to 2024, involving cases that were work-related or “possibly” work-related.
From 1998 to 2024, Iran led the list with 226 deaths, followed by the Philippines with 149 and Mexico with 147. Pakistan ranked fourth with 94 fatalities, followed by India with 73 and Somalia with 72.
CPJ only designates a killing as murder when its research indicates that there is clear evidence to suggest that the journalist was killed because of his or her work.
In the prevailing political and economic conditions in the Philippines, CPJ reported that conditions can grow more lethal for the press when those who kill journalists are not held to account. And fewer journalists means less information for citizens seeking the truth.
There are more journalists killed in 2024 worldwide than in any other year since the CPJ began collecting data more than three decades ago.
With the national elections underway and local elections approaching, we urge our fellow journalists to uphold the highest standards of journalism and avoid unethical practices.
SIGNIFICANT MILESTONE
The entire Philippine media community in celebrating a significant milestone of no reported media killings in 2024.
“This is a testament to the collective efforts of the media community in safeguarding and protecting our ranks against those who fear the truth that journalists uphold in the pursuit of their duty,” the local National Press Club (NPC) president Leonel Abasola said in his press statement.
Emphasizing several media killings that remains unresolved, with perpetrators and masterminds still at large, Abasola said the NPC acknowledges the significant contributions and vital role of the Filipino media journalists. By reaching this milestone was no easy feat and sustaining it will be even more challenging as threats against media practitioners persist.
ETHICS IN JOURNALISM
On this, Abasola strongly appealed to all active journalists in the wake of the coming midterm national elections this May 2025: “With the national elections underway and local elections approaching, we urge our fellow journalists to uphold the highest standards of journalism and avoid unethical practices.”
In emphasizing the importance of keeping media practitioners out of political conflicts, Abasola warned that unethical practices could make them unintended victims of electoral rivalries.
In doing so, accidental loss of lives during the conduct and discharging of duties during the election could be avoided. “Sa hanay po ng NPC, patuloy rin ang ating pag-organisa ng mga provincial at regional chapters para higit na mabatid ng ating mga kasamahan ang kahalagahan ng ating trabaho sa lipunan. (In the ranks of the NPC, we continue to organize provincial and regional chapters so that all our colleagues are aware of the importance of our work in society).”
The Philippine’s NPC was one of the oldest and biggest news organizations in the country, with established chapters in the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Camariner Norte, Nueva Ecija, and parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
UNRESOLVED JOURNO KILLINGS
Meanwhile, challenges faced by journalists, including bullying and public humiliation by local politicians, as well as economic hardships that push many media workers out of the industry, was highlighted by the National Union of Journalist (NUCP) in Cebu.
Journalists must be equipped with safety training, ethical journalism workshops, and with information and tools pertaining to on-field press safety, it said.
In the wake of continuous violence and unresolved killings of Filipino journalists, NUJP made their appeal and called for true justice in the resolution of thousands of cases of murdered media men and women and the end to the continuous acts of violence perpetrated by corrupt forces against those that shed light on the truth.
