Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 3) — A day after the 30th World Press Freedom Day, the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR) on Thursday reported 75 cases of violations against media workers since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office.
From June 30, 2022, to April 30, 2023, these include 40 intimidation, 10 libel and cyberlibel, 7 harassment, 6 barred from coverage and censorship, 5 threats through messages and online, 4 cyberattacks, and 1 physical assault.
The CMFR said 31 of the 40 cases of intimidation include red tagging media members or news organizations and 8 cases of surveillance.
“President Marcos Jr. has been amiable toward the press. And there has been no real action to prevent the kinds of attacks that made the Duterte regime as dark as it could ever be for the media and for democracy,” the CMFR said.
While it exceeds the number of attacks and threats in any one year during former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term in office, the CMFR said attacking journalists and media is no longer the top priority of the current administration.
In a statement released after World Press Freedom Day, the Presidential Communications Office said they condemned all attacks on press freedom and has called for the protection of journalists and media workers worldwide.
“We honor the brave journalists who risk their lives every day to bring us the news and the stories that shape our world,” it added.
The reported cases cover the death of broadcaster Percy Lapid on October 3 last year, and of editorial cartoonist Rey Blanco on September 18, 2022.
State agents were involved in 41 cases as alleged perpetrators, the media group added, with 23 from the national government, 12 from the police, and 6 from local government units.
In a separate post on Wednesday, the National Union of Journalists (NUJP) reported a lower number of press freedom violations at 60.
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