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December 21, 2006
12th journalist
murdered this year: An ignominy in a democracy
For the nth time, we call on the Arroyo government to exercise its political will by bringing the killers of journalists – gunmen and masterminds alike – to justice and end the culture of impunity which has allowed these attacks to continue.
We make this call in the wake of another colleague killed: Laoag City radio broadcaster Andres "Andy" Acosta, 46, stabbed to death early morning today in Batac, Ilocos Norte.
Acosta's death brings to 12 the number of media persons killed in 2006, and 48 those killed since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed presidency.
Initial reports received by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said witnesses saw Acosta, who was traveling fast on board his motorcycle, suddenly skidding to a halt and collapsing. They then discovered that he already bore multiple injuries. He died at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital, also in Batac, at around 10:30 a.m.
Acosta worked for Laoag radio station dzJC Aksyon Radyo (Action Radio), an affiliate of the Manila Broadcasting Company (MBC). It is the same station where Roger Mariano, a broadcaster killed on July 31, 2004, worked.
A police official interviewed over radio station dzBB said the killing was most likely related to Acosta's "line of work."
It is ironic that the killing occurred just two days after NUJP launched an information campaign for journalists' safety. Titled "20 steps to safety", the campaign seeks to increase risk awareness among journalists and arm them with needed information to minimize danger.
The mere fact that journalists have to campaign for safety already says a lot about the condition of press freedom in the Philippines. And the fact that media killings continue painfully stresses the point that journalists are deemed disposable by those who wish to silence criticism and keep the public ignorant of important issues.
We call on the Arroyo government to show that this is still a country where killers get arrested and convicted. Prove that there is a justice system in place protecting the citizenry and punishing criminals. Prove that this administration values press freedom.
Or else, you prove yourself unable, if not unwilling, to bring journalists' killers to justice, thereby proving yourself unfit to lead a democracy, the cornerstones of which include freedoms of the press and expression.
References:
Jose Torres Jr., chairperson
Rowena Carranza-Paraan, secretary-general