THE PRESS in the Philippines has been described to be among the freest in Asia if not in the world, robust, almost rambunctious in its practice. But in the first 16 months of the Duterte administration, its status and practice have been diminished, shaken down by supporters and trolls of the President who would not tolerate critical coverage.
We of Kapayapaan, an alliance of advocates for a just peace, are disheartened by President Rodrigo Duterte’s rash and harsh statements cancelling/terminating the peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), ordering the re-arrest of NDFP consultants and tagging the CPP/NPA as “terrorist”. These constitute a complete turnaround from his avowed policy of talking peace with the CPP/NPA/NDFP by negotiating much-needed socio-economic and political reforms to end close to five decades of armed conflict with the revolutionary movement.
The launch of Defending Journalism comes at an auspicious time. Within the next few days, on 23 November, we will commemorate the 8th anniversary of the Maguindanao/Ampatuan Massacre.
It has been said that those in power and the media have always been at odds.
TRUMP'S EFFIGY. Progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump in Manila. In this November 13, 2017 photo, Trump's effigy bears a set of rotating arms that resemble the Nazi's swastika. (Jaja Necosia/The Breakaway Media)