MANILA, Philippines — Journalists were challenged to be much braver to be able to combat continued attacks on press freedom under the current administration.

This was the call of some of the panelists during the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility’s Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar, which was held virtually on Friday for the first time.

“We do have to be braver now. The time for relying on press releases and press conferences is over,” ABS-CBN’s Chiara Zambrano said. “We have to take what was said and just shed out, peel away the spin, and tell the real story behind it.”

For ABS-CBN’s Christian Esguerra, Filipino journalists should unlearn meekness by clarifying their loyalties.

“Are we simply loyal, blind followers to, let’s say employers, or those that provide our paycheck? Or, more importantly, are we looking at the higher cost, which is our loyalty to the truth and our commitment to the citizens?” Esguerra said.

He added, “If you don’t have courage, if you are a coward, you should not be in journalism.”

Rappler’s Lian Buan and ABS-CBN’s Mike Navallo, meanwhile, advocated for unity and collaboration among journalists so that they may be better equipped to push back against attacks.

“It’s also important that we as journalists also enable each other, support each other … Just to send the message that we’re not taking this sitting down,” Navallo said.

“We just have to follow up on each other’s questions, follow up on each other’s stories and recognize that if our message is louder, if the truth — that we know it is the truth — is louder, then we have a better chance at beating the trolls,” Buan said.

For his part, GMA’s Raffy Tima stressed that the adherence to the journalistic principle of objectivity is a good shield against groups or individuals who may want to challenge the credibility of a story.

Eroding press freedom

The panelists in the seminar also debunked the government’s claim that press freedom is very much alive in the country, as they pointed out that certain actions by the government has begun eroding that freedom.

“We are still free to a certain point … but it is eroding and we can feel it,” said Philstar.com editor in chief Camille Diola. “And we cannot pretend that the towering issues of ABS-CBN and Rappler being attacked do not affect us.”

President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly lashed out at the media, especially ABS-CBN, Rappler and the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Rappler and its CEO and executive editor, Maria Ressa, are facing a flurry of cases filed by the government before various courts.

The House of Representatives, controlled by allies of Duterte, has denied ABS-CBN a fresh legislative franchise even if government agencies have cleared the media giant of any wrongdoing.

Winning the war

Buan pointed out that the denial of ABS-CBN’s franchise, along with Malacañang’s ban on Rappler reporters from entering its premises, are examples of prior restraint.

She also cited the extension of the prescription period for cyber libel from one year to 12 years and the passage of the anti-terrorism law as examples of how the press is being restrained.

“They can claim that there is a free press, but all these weaponization of all these laws prove that it’s actually less free,” she said.

Buan also conceded that Philippine media is being “clobbered” in the propaganda war, adding that she fears that Filipinos would eventually lose trust in the media.

The solution, the panelists said, is simply to do better journalism.

“We can start with ourselves. With every article that we write, with every interview that we conduct, let’s not allow those people in power get away with a lot of lies,” Esguerra said.