P2-M reward up for witnesses in journalists’ killings

Will a government reward help bring justice to journalists killed in the line of duty?

The government is putting up a P2-million fund to help solve the killings of journalists by offering rewards to people who testify or provide information leading to the arrest of the perpetrators of these crimes, Malacañang announced yesterday.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the Palace is also open to allowing media practitioners to arm themselves in the face of threats to their lives, saying the President has announced that, on a case-to-case basis, people should apply for a permit to carry firearms outside their residences to protect themselves.

"This is not limited to the media, but to all those who face credible and verifiable threats to their lives," Bunye said. "We are open to giving that kind of protection to media persons and to ordinary citizens as well."

"Initially, there will be a fund to reward anybody who will be able to give information to solve a crime against a media person," he said. "If I’m not mistaken, it is a P1-million fund from President Arroyo and another P1-million fund from Speaker Jose de Venecia," Bunye said.

Radio commentator Klein Cantoneros died from gunshot wounds suffered in an attack in Dipolog City, Mindanao earlier this week, becoming the fourth journalist to be killed in the Philippines this year. Thirteen journalists were slain in 2004. Ironically, Cantoneros died on World Press Freedom Day.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said in a statement that while there may not be a "systematic plot" that would account for the rise in violence against journalists, there are "systematic defects" in government that have allowed journalist-killers to commit their crimes with impunity.

"Cantoneros’ murder is a slap in the face of the Arroyo administration, whose cavalier, even dismissive, attitude towards the killings only encourages more violence against members of the press," the NUJP statement said.

NUJP slammed the government for "not doing enough to correct the defects of the criminal justice system and to make sure that the killers are brought to justice."

Since democracy was restored in 1986, 70 journalists have been killed in the line of duty and 20 of the killings took place over the last three years. Most of these murders remain unsolved.

Because of this, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said the Philippines is "the most murderous country" for the press — a label based on the number of journalists who were deliberately killed in connection with their work rather than caught in crossfire, such as in conflict areas like Iraq.

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said that, this year, the Philippines is the most dangerous place for journalists in the world.

Malacañang has admitted that violence against journalists in the Philippines is cause for concern and may be seen as a "national issue" since the country is also viewed as "the freest press in Asia."

While on an official trip to Limay, Bataan province, the President said "we’ve made many statements on this but what is important is let’s all act on this."

She also said authorities are exerting all efforts to solve the killings of journalists and called for greater cooperation from all sectors to put an end to violence against the media.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has threatened to bring the unsolved murders of journalists to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) if reporters continue to be slain with impunity.

CHR Commissioner Purification Quisumbing said in an interview with ABS-CBN television that "impunity does exist with regard to the killing of journalists in the Philippines," adding that the country is a signatory to the convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedom, as well as other human rights standards with which it must comply.

Quisumbing said the family members of slain journalists may go to the UN and file complaints against the inaction of the government if the murders remain unsolved.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has offered to provide security to journalists who are "under threat" following a series of attacks that have claimed the lives of 17 reporters in the past 17 months.

This offer by the PNP earned immediate response from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), which has vowed to support the PNP in its bid to protect journalists.

Despite the vocal support given by the AFP for the PNP’s press protection effort, however, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Angel Jose was non-committal about proposals that journalists be allowed to carry firearms for self-defense.

He was reacting to a call by the Association of Armed Journalists of the Philippines to allow journalists to carry firearms, saying the AAJP is missing the point.

Jose said permitting journalists to carry guns will not deter assassins who are determined to shoot and kill members of the press.

He said the AFP would assist the PNP in its investigation of crimes committed against members of the press.

Reporters with "verified threats on their lives" should seek a government permit before carrying firearms, national police spokesman Senior Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said in a statement.

He said a police task force formed last year to investigate attacks on journalists was coordinating with media organizations to "jointly craft a security system to deter any harmful plot or attempt" against them.

The PNP "maintains its position of providing security to any media member who is under threat," he added. — With Paolo Romero, Cecille Suerte-Felipe, Jaime Laude, Perseus Echeminada, Christina Mendez, Benjie Villa, AFP and AP