Irene Khan, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion, expressed significant concern about the escalating number of journalist killings in the Philippines and is calling for immediate action. According to Khan, the murder of journalists constitutes the “most egregious form of censorship”.
Despite international efforts to promote press freedom, the Philippines still harbors a dangerous environment for journalists. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) data indicates that there are still 81 unresolved cases of journalist killings.
Khan’s suggestions not only address journalists’ killings but also call for dismantling a government task force aimed at subduing a prolonged communist insurgency. Furthermore, this task force faces accusations of “red-tagging,” which involves labeling government critics as rebel sympathizers.
The international community, human rights organizations, and the Filipino government are receiving growing demands to work collectively and implement comprehensive legal reforms for better protection of journalists’ and activists’ rights. This call to action comes in the wake of the death of at least four journalists since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr assumed office in 2022. Additionally, the Philippines presently ranks 132nd out of 180 countries in the Reporter’s Without Borders (RSF) freedom of the press rankings, indicating there’s significant room for improvement.
The rising figures of these unresolved cases and overall international rank show an urgent need for legal reforms to ensure journalist safety in the country. It remains to be seen whether these calls to action will bring substantial change.