Duterte admin has created ‘safe space for journalists’ – Sec. Andanar
The
Presidential Communications and Operations Office (PCOO) stood firm on its
belief press freedom still prevails in the country, contrary to some
allegations.
In a media engagement at the United
Nations (UN) Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, PCCO Secretary Martin Andanar
said the spread of various accusations against the Duterte administration is
clear of a free press at work in the country.
“While the President can and will say
what he wants, his actions speak much louder than his words. The Duterte
administration has created a transparent government, an enabling media
environment, a safe space for journalists, and yet it remains open to
criticisms,” Andanar said.
Andanar also pointed out the
government is not attacking private media companies, amid the ABS-CBN franchise
issue.
PH calls for prudence amid
human rights allegations
By
Azer Parrocha
MANILA -- Amid allegations of human rights
violations in the Philippines, a Palace official on Wednesday urged top
officials of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to be more
cautious about claims made by critics and detractors of the Duterte administration,
particularly those belonging to groups listed as terrorist organizations.
 |
| PCOO Secretary Martin Andanar (Screengrab from the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council livestream) |
Presidential
Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar made this
remark during the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council, High Level Segment
in the United Nations in Geneva where he described the administration as a
“victim” of arbitrary action made by the council.
“We
repeat the call for prudence in assessing claims particularly from sources who
have enjoyed the hallowed status of human rights defenders while waging the
longest insurgency in Asia and terrorizing communities in the Philippines,”
Andanar said in a speech delivered before officials of the UNHRC.
He
lamented that discussions on the human rights situation in the country have
been swayed by “baseless allegations” and that the Council has “failed to
exhaust mechanisms for constructive, reasonable, and fact-based discourse.”
“A
credible Council cannot base its actions on such inscrutable claims. These
claims do not hold their truth against the well-founded accountability
mechanisms in the country, the tangible accomplishments of the anti-illegal
drug campaign, the growing investors’ confidence in the Philippine economy, and
the high level of public support for the leadership of President (Rodrigo)
Duterte,” he said.
Counterinsurgency
issues
Despite
being tagged as a terrorist organization by several countries, he said the
Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has continued to
criticize government’s legitimate anti-insurgency actions as red-tagging,
curtailment of civic space, and weaponization of bureaucracy against their
armed struggle.
“That
actors who profess terrorism are able to exploit the mantle protecting human
rights defenders is a failure of due diligence on the part of the UN system,”
he said, though stressed that it is not too late to rectify this.
Andanar
said the Philippine government remains convinced in the UNHRC’s contributions
to the promotion of human rights in all parts of the world, however challenged
the council to “preserve its credibility” and “uphold the highest standards of
objectivity and integrity.”
“Institutionalizing
more rigor in assessing information should help the Council successfully
navigate a milieu under the strain of politicization, polarization and –
outside these halls – skepticism in multilateralism,” he said.
He
added that outside terror groups and organizations affiliated to it, the
government respects all Philippine non-government organizations (NGOs) and
civic leaders whose express support for lawful, free and empowered social
activism.
In
2019, the UNHRC voted to adopt a resolution seeking to look into human rights
violations in the country in relation to the administration’s anti-illegal
drugs campaign.
Out
of the UN body’s 47 members, 18 countries supported the proposal to look into
the administration's drug war, 14 countries including the Philippines voted
against it, while the remaining 15 abstained.
Press
freedom a priority
Andanar,
a former media practitioner himself, meanwhile rejected allegations that there
were restrictions of press freedom in the Philippines, stressing that they were
“false and self-serving.”
He
said strengthening the space for a free and empowered media is a
"priority" of the Duterte government.
Citing
strides made to benefit media professionals, he said two of the first orders
signed by Duterte after assuming office in 2016 involved media freedom namely
Executive Order No. 2 on Freedom of Information and Administrative (FOI) and
Executive Order No. 1 creating the Presidential Task Force on Media Security
(PTFoMS).
The
FOI requires disclosure of all government records involving public interest and
upholds the constitutional right of people to information on matters of public
concern, he said.
On
the other hand, he said the PTFoMS is tasked to ensure the safety of media
workers and address the distinction attached to the Philippines as one of the
most dangerous places in the world for journalists.
He
said his office is working with members of Congress on a Freedom of Information
Act that will have a broader scope and a measure that would improve the working
conditions and swages of journalists, towards enhancing the environment for a
free, empowered, and productive Philippine media.
Moreover,
he said gains made by the PTFoMS helped improve the Philippine ranking in the
2018 Global Impunity Index and delisted the Philippines from its Top 5 most
dangerous countries in the world for journalists according to the 2018
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report.
He
also boasted of the conviction of the principal suspects in the Maguindanao
massacre, dubbed as the world’s worst killings of journalists in history where
at least 32 media workers were murdered.
“Allegations
of restrictions of media space in the Philippines do not find anchor in such a
landscape that is driven by a vision to address impunity, preserve press
freedom, and promote the welfare of media workers,” he said.
Media
institutions facing charges before the courts, he said, meant that they
involved in criminal and constitutional violations. (PNA)
