MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang joined yesterday journalists worldwide and the United Nations in condemning attacks against media practitioners and in observing the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Aquino’s message to the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) was that times have changed since he assumed office.
Speaking before the FOCAP, Aquino said: “We no longer live in a country where the media is muzzled, or where the government tries to impose its will on journalists.
“In fact, we have been in active pursuit of all those who have allegedly committed extralegal killings, including those involving media, and one can already see the effects of our efforts.”
Coloma said Aquino created through administrative order in 2012 the Inter-Agency Committee on Extralegal Killings, Enforced Disappearances, Torture, and Other Grave Violations on the Right to Life, Liberty, and Security of Persons.
“The government created a team to speed up the hunt and prosecution of those involved in the killing of journalists,” he said in Filipino.
Coloma said the government is closely coordinating with the National Press Club to solve extrajudicial killings of journalists.
“In fact, the National Press Club has intensively coordinated with our office, the Presidential Communications Operations Office in getting updates on the cases of violence against journalists,” he said in Filipino.
Coloma said the arrest of retired Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan and the decrease in the incidence of media killings under the Aquino administration are the direct result of this cooperation.