โThose who imperil the safety and security of media workers will suffer the consequences of their actions to the full extent of the law.โ
This was the warning given by Secretary of Justice and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security to perpetrators of media violence in his speech as guest of honor during the seventh and final run of the “PTFoMS Moving 4Ward Webinar Series: Safeguarding Press Freedom during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Election Season” held last Monday via videoconferencing.
โNo less than the full force of Presidential power will be brought to bear upon those who, for whatever end, seek to do harm to our democracy and the people who keep it alive,โ Guevarra said during the webinar.
The Secretary of Justice explained that, โThreats and assaults upon the security of media personnel are crimes that ultimately seek to maim and victimize our fragile democracy and thwart the right of a free and sovereign people to direct the future of a nation through our institutions of representation,โ pointing out that it was โupon this recognition that the PTFoMS was forged.โ
According to Guevarra, through the creation of the PTFoMS, โthe investigation and prosecution of threats and assaults against media personnel under the direct supervision of the Office of the President,โ which โunderscores the valueโ that President Rodrigo Duterte โplaces on the security of those who toil to keep alive an informed citizenry crucial to democracy.โ
The PTFoMS was created by President Duterte in 2016 as an inter-agency task force dedicated to ensure the safety of journalists against threats and violence – the very first in the world.
About a hundred journalists and media workers from BARMM, Regions 9 and 10 registered and attended last Mondayโs webinar. Sponsored by PTFoMS, the monthly regional webinar was established to promote safety practices in the midst of the pandemic and in the upcoming national and local elections. CNNโs Dr. Freddie Gomez and veteran journalist Mr. Joe Torres were the resource speakers. In total, almost a thousand participants attended the 7-series webinar which was launched last March with media workers from the National Capital Region (NCR) in attendance.
Guevarra said that PTFoMS has been instrumental in assisting prosecutions brought by the National Prosecution Service and the Department of Justice against those who threaten or harm media personnel such as the Maguindanao Massacre.
โBut more than assisting the prosecution of cases against those who threaten and harm our media workers, the PTFoMS โ under our hardworking Executive Director โ has sought to promote media security in all fronts.โ
Since its creation, Usec. Jose Joel M. Sy Egco has been in the helm of PTFoMS as its Executive Director.
According to Egco in his opening remarks during the seminar, โWeโve had six webinars so far and this last one, for me, is the most significant as Regions 9, 10 and BARMM are the most dangerous regions for journalists. Media workers are most vulnerable in these parts and extra care and vigilance should be taken in order to prevent a repeat of the infamous Ampatuan Massacreโ
Egco added that the task force has come a long way from its very humble beginnings. โFor the past 5 years we have been at the forefront in the fight to protect the life, liberty and security of media workers in the Philippines. This is not only our mandate but my personal advocacy.โ
The Palace official emphasized that โfar less journalists have also been killed ever since PTFoMSโ creation compared to the last two administrations.โ
Egco also pointed out that a total of 80 cases involving media practitioners who were unduly threatened were quickly acted upon or resolved by the task force and that media workers who were in danger were immediately given police protection.
Egco also called on the Senate to immediately enact the proposed Media Workers Welfare Act (MWWA) that has already been approved unanimously by the House of Representatives in 2020 and has been pending for a long time in the Upper House. The MWWA seeks to grant journalists and media workers with hazard pay, living wage, safety equipment, employment security plus additional insurance and hospitalization benefits.
Also personally gracing the webinar was Representative Ninฬa Taduran of ACT-CIS Partylist, principal author of MWWA under House Bill No. 8140 who gave the closing remarks and answered some of the media workersโ questions during the open forum; and PCOOโs Usec. Kris Ablan, head of the Freedom of Information Program of the Executive Branch. ###