Emjay Sunga Rosales

Working In peril: SAFETY OF JOURNALISTS IN THE PHILIPPINES By Emjay Rosales October 2018 Figures of media killings are continuously rising in different countries and it has spoken when Philippines is still among the list of deadliest countries to practice journalism after at least 85 media attacks have been tallied by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. This is a clear depiction of journalists settling at the borders of safe and threat zones of covering conflicts. As a victim of threats himself, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) director Raymond Villanueva testifies the danger of conflict reporting. Statistically speaking, there had been 156 media-related killings in the years 1986 to 2017. Let alone under two years of President Duterte’s incumbency, 12 media killings had been recorded. Media killings and criticism Journalists are being targeted and their deaths are most likely inflicted intentionally according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). To support this, Villanueva recalls the media killings in the Maguindanao Massacre case in 2009 where 34 journalists are believed to have been abducted and killed, as well as the murder case of broadcast journalist Gerry Ortega in 2011 upon his exposé to anomalous Malampaya fund. Villanueva echoes his criticism to the unjust pleas given to notable prisoners and other ordinary prisoners—implying that even media men are not safe to such wrongful cases. HARASSMENT TO JOURNALISTS Villanueva mentions the incident where some journalists had been arrested by the Meycauayan Police in a recent issue of NutriAsia protest in July after the workers of Nagkakaisang Manggagawa ng NutriAsia Incorporated condemned the contractualization and poor working conditions. He recalls how AlterMidya Network journalist Eric Tandoc was beaten up with rattan sticks, metal rods, and stones during the protest. Journalists as witnesses to war, as voices to the oppressed, and as catalysts of change are not safe from imperilment according to him. To work in peril means a concept for media groups and organizations to look inside the dangers of the profession and come up with a strong interest to intensify the safety of his fellow media men. But this doesn’t mean journalists should bring, or at least possess, guns in their pockets. MEDIA MEN IN EQUIPPING FIREARMS For the NUJP director, it is not the job of the journalist to equip firearms for the sake of living up to their safety. He believed that words of information are the journalists' tools in protecting people. He added that the constitution is an enough basis to guarantee their safety as a citizen and as a journalist. The primary responsibility of the state is to let the journalists be safe. A STAND TO MAGNA CARTA FOR JOURNALISTS According to him, there is no necessity of passing the Senate Bill No. 380 or the Magna Carta for Journalists by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada for its “objectionable” provisions: 1) to undergo the Professional Journalist Exam; and 2) to establish Philippine Council for Journalists “that will serve as the development center for journalism and at the same time act as a selfregulatory body for journalists and the journalism profession.” Villanueva disapproves the provisions for it seeks accreditation to standardize the Filipino journalists. He thinks it clearly disfavors journalists who have outstanding narration aptitude but possess no degree or related degree to journalism. IS PHILIPPINES A SAFE PLACE FOR JOURNALISM IN THE FUTURE? Journalism can be a safe profession to practice in the Philippines, according to Villanueva. However, he believes that the system should change. Philippines can be a safe place for this profession if the right of the journalists’ work is respected—to be not defamed and to be paid decently. A journalist must also be an activist of his or her profession. In order to become a true journalist, the articles to be written should foster, inspire, and demand change. The safety of journalists was seen by the UNESCO as an urgent call to create a new curriculum that educates journalism students, junior journalists, and journalists in counteractive actions and protection skills to strengthen their knowledge on safety coverage. The said curriculum will use UNESCO’s different publications as teaching guides and materials including the books “Safety of Journalist: A Model Curriculum” and the “UNESCO Safety of Journalists Guidebook.” Journalists have a duty that rests with them and their news organizations to take care of themselves from harmful situations so they can continue their responsibility as the truth purveyor and information disseminator. Also, a level of duty rests with journalism schools, with the essential theoretical perspective and specialized know-hows to capably work in the undeniably risky environment of journalistic practice.