Democracy must be protected, no to media killings says Aklan Rep Haresco

KALIBO, Aklan- The democracy in the Philippines must be protected, and members of the media should not be killed this way, according to Aklan’s District Congressman Teodorico Haresco Jr.

This was his answer to the members of the Aklan media when he was asked about the case of slain journalist Percy Laipd Mabasa. Mabasa has relatives here in Kalibo.

Recently, members of the newly formed Aklan Media Integrated Alliance (AMIA) held a press conference and a mass at the St. John the Baptist Cathedral to call for justice.

“Whenever a member of the media commits possible abuses, there is a court to which the public could go to. The Philippines is a democratic country, and the freedom of speech of the media must be respected,” Haresco said.

For a long time, Haresco was a media advocate. Prior to him officially entering the world of politics, he has already helped members of the media who were slain because of their works.

According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), there have been 197 media killings in the country since 1986. Two of them are Akeanon. Because of this, the Philippines ranks 147 out of the 180 countries evaluated by Reporters Without Borders.

The Reporters Without Borders (RSF( is an international non-profit and non-governmental organization with the stated aim of safeguarding the right to freedom of information.