EDITORIAL - Culture of impunity

The number of attacks on journalists dropped last year amid unflattering reports presented to the United Nations about the human rights situation in the Philippines. But even with that positive development, concerns have been raised that the impunity that characterizes attacks on journalists and militant activists in this country will persist because of the failure of the state to punish the culprits.

In the past week, a radio commentator was shot dead while a colleague was critically wounded in separate attacks in Roxas City. Martin Roxas of dyVR was shot as he was leaving the radio station at noon last Thursday. He died later in a hospital, making him the fourth journalist to be killed this year in the country. That’s one victim more than the toll last year, although still much lower than the 12 recorded in 2006. Roxas’ death came just three days after another broadcaster, Dennis Cuesta of Radio Mindanao Network, was critically wounded in another attack. Like Roxas, Cuesta was shot by two men riding on a motorcycle.

Two suspects are undergoing interrogation for the killing of Roxas – one of the few instances where suspected gunmen have been apprehended quickly. It remains to be seen whether a motive can be established and any mastermind identified and arrested. In several of the attacks on journalists, colleagues and relatives of the victims voiced suspicions about the involvement of influential public officials who were subjected to criticism by the victims.

Leaders of organized crime rings such as gambling barons and smugglers have also been suspected. But the most successful and notorious crime bosses, like political kingpins, also wield clout at every step of the criminal justice system, allowing them to get away with permanently silencing bearers of bad news.

The belief that they can get away with harassment, kidnapping and murder guarantees the perpetuation of such threats to the exercise of press freedom. This criminal mindset will remain unchanged until the government starts making murderers, from the triggerman to the mastermind, account for their crimes.