MANILA, Philippines — Mechanisms to protect members of the press are already in place and working, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) said yesterday.
PTFoMS executive director Paul Gutierrez was reacting to the pronouncement of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) to establish its own alert system for journalists under threat, to be called ALISTO.
“May I remind our good partners in the CHR that even UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan recognized that the PTFoMS created in 2016 through Administrative Order No. 1 is the ‘main mechanism for the safety of journalists’ as stated in her preliminary report after the conclusion of her visit on Feb. 2,” Gutierrez said in a statement.
He said there are existing and functioning mechanisms to protect the members of the press from any violation of their right to life, liberty and security.
The CHR earlier urged the executive department to “provide sufficient mechanisms” to ensure a safer environment for media workers.
“May I also remind the public and our media colleagues that the CHR is, in fact, a member of the PTFoMS under AO1 and has been regularly attending its inter-agency meetings so this statement comes as quite a surprise,” Gutierrez said.
Alisto! Alert Mechanism is an online platform, which seeks to “provide a concrete platform where it may directly respond to attacks and threats against media workers,” according to the CHR.
The Philippines is considered as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists.
Since 1986, 199 journalists have been killed in the country, according to the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines.
Khan, who visited the country early this month, found the efforts of the government’s task force on media security lacking.