UN to check PHL media freedom
THE UNITED NATIONS (UN) Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression is set to visit Manila on Jan. 23 to Feb. 2 to look into issues surrounding freedom of speech involving media workers and civic organizations in the Philippines.
The UN officer, Irene Khan, will hold dialogues with media and civil society groups to discuss current laws and regulations on free speech, according to the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner’s website.
It said she will “examine, in the spirit of cooperation and dialogue, the situation of the rights to freedom of opinion and expression in the country” and check on Philippine laws on digital privacy and access, and fake news.
Human rights group, Karapatan, urged Ms. Khan on Tuesday to investigate alleged trumped-up lawsuits filed by the government against human rights defenders and journalists.
“Red-tagging has quickly evolved into terrorist-tagging and the use of such laws to impede human rights and development work and quell free expression and dissent — all under the pretext of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism,” Karapatan said in a statement.
The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) said there had been 109 incidents of attacks and threats against journalists in the current administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.
In a statement, the NUJP also cited 36 incidents of harassment, which includes cases of surveillance of media practitioners and of journalists being tailed by unknown individuals.
“We welcome the visit of UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan and we look forward to discussing the Philippine press situation with her,” the group said.
“We hope that she will heed our recommendations for a freer press and an environment more conducive to the exercise of freedom of expression in the Philippines,” it added. — John Victor D. Ordoñez