Commentary: Palace asserts RP press is among world’s freest
Bacolod City (27 October) -- “The Philippines is among the freest of the free when it comes to the press, and the best way to objectively discern the situation is to ask the press practitioners themselves if they are subject to any pressure or intimidation, which they are not.”
This is the reaction of the Palace on the report of the ‘Reporters Sans Frontieres’ (Reporters Without Borders) when it ranked the Philippines on a low 142nd place among countries adhering to the tenets free press.
The foreign group cited the First Gentlemen’s numerous cases filed against local journalists as threat to press freedom.
“Every individual, including the First Gentleman, has all the right to seek legal remedies if he feels that he has been libeled,” a Malacañang official said.
On the issue of murder of journalists, officials said this is a separate issue that is being dealt with properly by government authorities.
“The administration protects the press because it upholds democracy and it would consider supporting the proposal to decriminalize libel to show support for the freedom of the press.” (PIA-LOL) [top]
