It isn’t just Kodao Productions, Rappler, VeraFiles, NUJP or the Catholic Media Center that are under siege, but press freedom, free expression, and the entire Philippine media and press community as well—and with it, the rights and liberties and future of the Filipino people. The Philippine press and media must transcend their narrow interests, and expand their awareness enough to come together for the nation’s sake.
The cancellation of the peace negotiations let loose the floodgates of bloodshed, human rights violations against unarmed peasant communities and indigenous peoples, avarice and arrogance among top government officials.
"...we call on the military to police their ranks and ensure that there are no more trampling on the rights of the people, especially the embattled Maranaos."
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.