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After Iraq, The Philippines Tops List As The Most Dangerous Place To Work For Journalists
By
Benedict Dimapindan
February 3, 2005
A free press isn’t always literally free, at least not
for those working for it. Sometimes, in fact, that freedom may
end up costing the highest price imaginable – a reporter’s
life.
In the Philippines, 13 journalists have been slain over the
last two years, making the country the deadliest place outside
of Iraq for reporters to work in the world. Twenty-three journalists
were killed in Iraq last year and 13 in 2003.
Furthermore, the situation appears to be getting worse. Two
journalists were murdered in 2002, five in 2003, and eight last
year. “If you consider that Iraq is a war zone and the
Philippines is at peace, the murder rate for journalists is absolutely
astounding,” said Kristin Jones, research associate for
the Asia program at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). “It
is very alarming and points to a culture of impunity in the Philippines
whereby killers can get away with the murder of journalists.”
In the past week, two violent incidents have been reported by
the CPJ that demonstrate the increasingly hostile milieu for
reporters in the Philippines.
On Wednesday, three men gunned down a central witness in the
2002 murder of journalist Edgar Damalerio in Pagadian. The witness,
Edgar Amoro, had identified a former police officer as the reporter’s
killer. He was the second witness to be fatally shot as the case
awaits trial.
And on Monday, Maximo “Max” Quindao, a publisher
of a weekly newspaper whose recent columns were critical of a
high-ranking public official, was shot four times in the chest
in Tagum City. He survived but remains in critical condition.
“It shouldn’t take almost three years for a murder
case to go to trial, and the government needs to make sure that
witnesses are protected,” Jones said. “That fact
sends a clear message to reporters in the Philippines that if
you dig too deep in your investigations or criticize too stridently,
you run a very real risk, and nothing will be done to defend
you.”
Most of the journalists killed last year have been radio broadcasters
who were working in the rural provinces, where they typically
were the only ones in the area calling attention to local crime
and malfeasance by public officials, according to Jones. Adding
to the risks is corruption among journalists themselves. Reporters
in rural areas are often paid poorly, and “the temptation
to collect pay-offs for attacking or defending local politicians
is sometimes very high,” Jones said.
The increasingly precarious situation for journalists has prompted
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to speak out publicly
against the violent acts.
“Suspects in recent cases have fallen and we will not
stop until we bring the murderers of journalists to justice,” Macapagal-Arroyo
said in a recent press release.
President Macapagal-Arroyo said that six of the eight recent
incidents of journalist murders have been solved, according to
the statement issued in December.
However, since the Philippines became a democracy in 1986, nearly
50 reporters have been killed for their work, but not a single
conviction has yet been recorded in any of those cases.
“The government needs to do more to ensure that crimes
are fully prosecuted,” Jones said.
Some precautionary measures have been taken to safeguard reporters
from such violence. The Philippine government has formed a task
force to deal specifically with the murders of journalists, Jones
said. In addition, members of the press have themselves banded
together to form a protective network known as the National Union
of Journalists of the Philippines.
But despite such steps, a veritable threat for journalists across
the Philippines remains.
“One of the less helpful suggestions made by authorities
in the Philippines was that journalists be exempt from restrictions
on carrying guns,” Jones said. “I think that’s
a telling indication of conditions for reporters there.
“Many of them are constantly on guard against potential
attackers whom they might have offended through their reporting.
You can imagine the fear that they experience on a daily basis.”
The reporters who were murdered in the Philippines last year
included:
- Herson Hinolan, a radio station manager and commentator for
Bombo Radiyo in the Aklan Province, was shot in November. Police
suspect the murder was in response to his blistering reports
on illegal gambling, police brutality and malfeasance by local
authorities, according to a report in the Straits Times.
- Gene Boyd Lumawag, a photographer for the MindaNews news
service, was gunned down in November in the province of Sulu.
According to a report in the Philippine Daily Inquirer,
the local police chief suspected that the murder was connected
to a corruption story that he was chasing.
- Eldy Sablas (also known as Eldy Gabinales), a commentator
for Radio DXJR-FM, was fatally shot in October in the southern
province of Surigao del Sur. Local journalists said that he
was likely slain for his scathing coverage of the local drug
trade and illicit gambling.
- Romeo “Romy” Binungcal, a correspondent for two
Manila-based publications, Remate and Bulgar,
was shot in September in the Bataan Province. Local journalists
claim his murder was connected to his reporting on corrupt
police in the province.
- Arnnel Manalo, a correspondent for the Bulgar and
the DZRH radio station, was slain in August in the province
of Batangas. According to local news reports, police suspect
that Manalo was shot because of his severely critical coverage
on local politician Edilberto Mendoza.
- Rogelio “Roger” Mariano, a commentator for Radyo
Natin-Aksyon Radyo, was shot in July in Laoag City. Local journalists
believe his murder resulted from his harsh commentaries on
financial corruption and crime.
- Elpidio Binoya was a commentator and local station manager
with Radyo Natin. He had built a reputation for vitriolic commentaries
and had made enemies among local politicians in the southern
town of Malungon, according to the Associated Press. Binoya
was gunned down in June.
- Rowell Endrinal, a radio commentator for DZRC in Legazpi
City, was an outspoken critic of local politicians and criminal
gangs. He was fatally shot in February.
(Source: Committee to Protect Journalists)
Contact Benedict Dimapindan at bend1@stanford.edu
