MANILA, Philippines - A human rights watchdog said yesterday the impunity of slayings of journalists in the Philippines poses a danger to the overall state of democracy in the country.
Freedom House said the slaying of two Filipino journalists this week is another example of the dangerous environment and culture of impunity that makes the Philippines one of the most perilous countries in the world for media, with broader implications for democracy.
Radio host Desidario Camangyan was shot on Monday while hosting a local singing contest. Less than 24 hours later, Joselito Agustin, 37, a broadcaster with dzJC Aksyon Radyo in Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, was ambushed by two men on a motorcycle while leaving work on his motorcycle.
The shootings occurred in different regions of the country and were unrelated, but both men were known to be outspoken critics of corrupt local politicians.
“When violence against journalists exists to the degree that it does in the Philippines, and this violence goes unpunished, it has an inevitably negative impact on the strength of democratic institutions and the ability of citizens to enjoy their fundamental human rights,” said Paula Schriefer, director of advocacy at Freedom House.
“We strongly urge the Filipino government to conduct a thorough investigation of these killings and take the steps necessary to ensure that journalists can report freely, without fear of retribution,” she added.
According to Freedom of the Press 2010, Freedom House’s annual survey of press freedom, the Philippines has experienced a continuous decline in press freedom since 2004, when it dropped from a free to a partly free ranking.
The Philippines experienced another notable backslide in 2009 due to the massacre of at least 30 journalists in Maguindinao province in November.
The country was also singled out for having one of the highest levels of impunity, with violence against journalists often going unprosecuted. Broader political rights and civil liberties in the Philippines have suffered at the same time.