Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin told the family of slain broadcaster Percival "Percy Lapid" Mabasa that the Office of the President (OP) will oversee the investigation of the case and assured them of assistance should they need it.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin commiserates with the fami
By: Atty. Perry Solis Press freedom is alive and well in the Philippines despite the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) release of its annual World Press Freedom Index (WPFI) putting the country in an unenviable position of no. 147 under what it called a new methodology, down from 138 last year. According to RSF's website, the low ranking of the country was due to many factors, foremost of which is media killings, especially the Ampatuan Massacre that happened more than a decade ago in 2009. As presented by RSF, it would be easy to assume that countries with a higher ranking would have a "freer" press than those with low rankings but that is not the case. Journalists should ask: Do citizens in African countries such as Namibia (18), South Africa (35), or Ivory Coast (37) enjoy greater press freedom than those from countries below it in ranking, such as let's say, citizens of the United States, which is currently at no. 42 in RSF's index? Journalists should wonder how
MANILA-In observance of World Press Freedom Day, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) went all out of its mandate to protect media workers by meeting with local journalists in several key regions all over the country to discuss ways and means to promote media safety. Undersecretary Joel M. Sy Egco, Executive Director of PTFoMS, said the task force held several and sometimes simultaneous consultative meetings with local journalists in various regions in the past week for the promotion of the safety and security of media workers, in collaboration with the regional offices of the Philippine National Police (PNP), "Now, you have a direct line to the Office of the President," Egco told local reporters and broadcasters in SOCCSKSARGEN (Region 12), "whatever your worries or concerns are in your quest to tell our countrymen the truth, you have the PTFoMS to rely on 24/7." "Never in the history of the Philippines that an administration given so much em
MANILA - Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), met with representatives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) led by Mohamed Djelid, Director and Representative of UNESCO Office in Jakarta, Indonesia, to discuss possible cooperation on capacity building projects on human rights during a courtesy visit in Malacanang, Manila on March 25. Egco presented the accomplishments of PTFoMS since its inception in 2016 and its pivotal role in ensuring media freedom in the Philippines by protecting the life, liberty and security of media workers pursuant to President Rodrigo Duterte's Administrative Order No. 1. Also present during the meeting were Undersecretary Severo Catura, Executive Director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee, who spoke about the openness of the government and its willingness to engage with UNESCO; Police Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Alba, spokesperson an
Orlando "Dondon" Dinoy MANILA - The European Union Delegation in Manila on Tuesday condemned the killing of Davao del Sur journalist Orlando "Dondon" Dinoy, who was gunned down last Saturday inside his apartment. In a statement, the delegation also commended the government for its prompt action to ensure that justice will be served to those responsible for the reporter's death. "Free media is at the heart of democracy. We condemn the killing of journalist Orlando Dinoy and commend (the) government's prompt action to bring justice. EU stands by & protects journalists," it said. The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) last Sunday said the police is currently investigating the incident. Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco, PTFoMS Executive Director, said the task force has mobilized its agents, through lawyer Perry Solis and investigation head Col. Rechie Duldulao, as soon as the case was reported to them. "Regardless of the motive, we