‘Open Season’ sa media killings pinalagan ng NUJP

UMALMA ang National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) sa katuwiran ni President-elect Rodrigo Duterte na kaya may nagaganap na media killings dahil corrupt at bias ang pinapaslang na mga mamamahayag.

“Just because you’re a journalist doesn’t mean you’re exempted from assassination if you’re a son of a bitch. Freedom of expression won’t save you. The Constitution cannot help you kapag binaboy mo ang isang tao,” ayon kay Duterte sa press conference sa Davao City kamakalawa ng gabi.

Ayon sa NUJP, mistulang idineklara na ni Duterte ang ‘open season’ para patahimikin ang media, dahil sa hinala na sila’y corrupt.

Bagama’t hindi itinatanggi ng NUJP na ang corruption ang isa sa mga problema na kinakaharap ng media, at sanhi ng ilang pagpatay sa mamamahayag ngunit hindi dapat ito kilalanin na katuwiran para patayin ang isang journalist.

Sinabi rin ni Duterte, maraming mediamen na napapatay ay dahil karamihan sa kanila, nabigyan na ngunit tumitira pa rin.

“Karamihan ‘yan, alam mo ‘yan nabigyan na, especially if you want to take sides, nabayaran mo na tapos you play. ‘Yan ang karamihan ng namatay. Or tumatanggap na sa mga sugarol tapos bira pa rin,” wika ni Dutere nang tanungin hinggil sa posisyon niya sa media killings.

“You really want the truth? ‘Yun ang truth,” giit niya.

Ginawang halimbawa ni Duterte ang Davao-based radio broadcaster na si Jun Pala na kanyang kritiko. Napatay si Pala noong 2003.

“Ang example natin dito, kung tagarito ka man, si Pala. I don’t want to demean his memory but he was a rotten son of a bitch. He deserved it. E gano’n e. Of course I know who killed him. Kasi binastos niya ‘yung tao e,” paliwanag ni Duterte.

Aniya, may journalists na sangkot sa kuwestiyonableng aktibidad kaya nalalagay sa peligro ang kanilang buhay.

“Kasi kung journalist ka na tama, wala namang gagalaw sa iyo, especially if it is true. I mean, you cannot hide the truth, by the way. Iyong freedom of expression cannot help you if you have done something wrong to the guy. Do not believe it so much na you swallow it hook, line, and sinker. Alam mo na marami riyan, binabayaran, pati writers. Alam mo iyan,” wika ng incoming president.

Samantala, nagpahayag ng pagkaalarma ang College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) sa pahayag ni President-elect Rodrigo Duterte kaugnay sa media killings.

Ayon sa CEGP, ang sinabi ni Duterte na ang pinaslang na journalist ay “corrupt and biased,” ay maaaring maipagkamali na tama lamang pumatay ng corrupt journalist.

“The pronouncement made by President-elect Duterte is a faulty generalization in which he failed to understand how the intensifying culture of impunity perpetuates the killing of journalists and media workers in their line of duty,” ayon sa grupo.

Nananawagan ang campus press kay President-elect Duterte na huwag mabigong ipatupad ang kanyang tungkulin na protektahan at at ipatupad ang constitutional guarantee sa ‘freedom of the press’ sa kanyang generalization at maling mga pahayag kaugnay sa mga journalist.

Dapat anilang maipaalala sa magiging bagong pangulo ang kanyang responsilibidad na tugunan ang tumitinding ‘culture of impunity’ sa bansa.

Sa kabilang dako, ikinagalit ng pamilya nang napaslang na si Doc Gerry Ortega ang genelization ni President-elect Duterte kaugnay sa napapaslang na mga journalist sa bansa.

“Our family is incensed by the hasty and crass generalizations made about murdered journalists in the country. Doc Gerry Ortega was killed for his courage and integrity. He was murdered precisely because he was honorable. He fought for social justice. He stood up against mining in Palawan. He exposed corruption in the provincial government, which included the misuse of billions of pesos from the Malampaya funds,” pahayag ni Mika, kaanak ni Ortega.

“This kind of speech is alarming because without due process, it casts absolute judgment on all murdered journalists including those who were killed for telling the truth,” aniya pa.