Piercing Pens

ХудожникБогородицаPooled editorial on the Second anniversary of the November 23, 2009 Ampatuan Massacre

Referring to the extrajudicial killings that were so much a part of the past Arroyo administration, and the killing of journalists that spiked on November 23, 2009, President Benigno Aquino III declared in his 2010 State of the Nation Address (SONA) that his administration would “hold murderers accountable.”

Despite that pledge, six journalists have been killed since then, or a total of ten since the Ampatuan Massacre of November 23, 2009 which claimed the lives of 58 men and women, of whom 32 were journalists and media workers. Dozens of human rights workers, political activists, labor leaders and others have also been abducted, tortured and killed during the same period.

From the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines:

Alert
December 24, 2007

Murder of Davao broadcaster is fifth media killing this year

Fernando “Batman” Lintuan, the first president of the Davao Sportswriters Association and broadcaster of DXGO Aksyon Radyo, was gunned down at close range at around 10 am this morning in front of the station.

His death brought to five the number of journalists killed in 2007 and to 54 the number of journalists killed under the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration.

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Time.com–and probably its print version, too–has again featured alleged Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. A November 1 article entitled “Crisis — Again — for the Philippines’ Arroyo” by Peter Ritter discusses the various issues Arroyo faces these days.

The Glorietta bombing, the bribery in Malacañang, the bishops’ call for her resignation, the ZTE broadband deal, and the Estrada pardon were among the recent issues touched by the article. It also mentioned the Hello Garci controversy to substantiate its statement that almost since Arroyo became president, “her administration has been buffeted by allegations of corruption every bit as audacious as Estrada’s.”

The article also quoted fellow blogger and Inquirer columnist Manolo Quezon as saying Arroyo may be able to finish her term due to people’s apathy.

Read the article here: “Crisis — Again — for the Philippines’ Arroyo”

GMANews.TV reports that “the Supreme Court had allowed the live broadcast of the Sandiganbayan’s verdict on the P4.1-billion plunder case against former President Joseph Estrada…”

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines welcomed the development, saying a contrary decision would have been against the constitutional right of access to information.

The coverage the Supreme Court granted is still very limited but in responding favorably to the petition, it upheld the right of the people to information on such an important and historic issue and ensured the timely and speedy delivery of the information.

As in the issues of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, the High Court once again showed independence and adherence to our fundamental rights and liberties.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) today urged the Sandiganbayan to rescind its ban on live media coverage during the promulgation of the plunder case against deposed president Joseph Estrada.

“At the very least, we ask the anti-graft court to allow pooled coverage of the proceedings,” the NUJP said in a statement. (more…)

Online news sources abs-cbnNEWS.com and GMANews.tv reported that Malu Fernandez has resigned and apologized over her People Asia article that insulted the overseas filipino workers (OFWs).

Anti-Malu Fernandez sentiments filled the Philippine blogosphere the past few weeks as a reaction to her controversial column “From Boracay to Greece” where she wrote that she “wanted to slash [her] wrist at the thought of being trapped in a plane with all of them,” referring to the OFWs in Dubai.

The Filipino Press Club-Dubai, group of Filipino professional journalists from the print, broadcast and web-based media in the United Arab Emirates, has also issued a statement calling for an apology and disciplinary action against Fernandez.

“We strongly demand that the publishers of People Asia and Manila Standard Today to take full responsibility and do the right thing: give Ms Fernandez and her editors a disciplinary action and apologise to the people insulted by these articles,” the group said.

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The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) today reminded President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo that it is the media’s duty is to report the news without any agenda.

The media organization issued the statement after Arroyo invited executives of several media outfits to Malacañang to solicit their help for the last three years of her administration, during which she hopes to build her “legacy.”

“We would like to remind Ms. Arroyo that media’s role – nay, duty – is to report events, good or bad, as they happen and not to spin the news to suit anyone’s agenda, much less conform to anyone’s concept of what balanced reporting, balanced commentary and editorial focus should be,” the NUJP said. (more…)