'RP now world’s most dangerous place for media workers'

With Monday's massacre in Maguindanao province where at least 12 journalists were killed, an international media watchdog group has tagged the Philippines as the most dangerous place in the world for media workers. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also vowed to keep international focus on the crisis, while extending humanitarian assistance to those affected. "Under the current government, the Philippines has become the most dangerous place in the world for media workers. At least 74 journalists have been killed during its eight-year tenure, yet the government has not acted to end the culture of impunity. At last count, only four convictions had been secured," it said in a statement Tuesday night (Manila time) on its Website. The IFJ pledged full support to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in an urgent campaign to secure journalists' safety. Also, the IFJ said it is supporting plans by the International News Safety Institute to organize urgent safety training for local media workers, adding that it has made available its International Safety Fund to provide humanitarian support. “We extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families and colleagues of all those killed in Maguindanao ... And we are determined to keep an international focus on this crisis. It is a traumatic and horrifying incident that means all journalists must now take even greater care," said IFJ General Secretary Aidan White. IFJ noted that the NUJP is sending an immediate mission to Maguindano to investigate the circumstances around the killings. On the other hand, the IFJ said the Arroyo government must go beyond declaring a state of emergency in Maguindanao and make a clear commitment to an effective inquiry. “With elections due in six months time, the authorities must act now to guarantee the safety of journalists throughout the country," White said. Killed in line of duty The Manila-based Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said that last Monday's killings have increased the number of journalists killed in the line of duty this year from three to at least 15. It said the killings also added so many more to the 81 already killed in the Philippines since 1986. "But what is worse is that whoever is responsible killed them and the wife, sisters, and followers of a local politician in furtherance of the inconsequential purpose of preventing that politician from filing his certificate of candidacy and contesting a small town election that can’t possibly have any impact beyond its narrow borders. 'Politically motivated' in fact confers on this act of barbaric madness a substance it doesn’t deserve," it said in a statement. But it voiced worry that the killings may trigger a cycle of reprisals and counter-reprisals that will raise even higher the levels of violence in Maguindanao. The CMFR also rejected the move placing Maguindanao under state of emergency, saying the local military and police are widely known to be partial to certain groups. "A state of emergency will provide a convenient cover for military and police partisanship, because it will provide them a legal basis for preventing the media from covering the impact on the citizenry of the political rivalries…," it said. The CMFR also advised journalists to avoid taking political sides, as it would put them in harm's way amid clashes between political parties and feuding clans. On the other hand, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) condemned on Wednesday in the strongest terms the massacre in Maguindanao. It also condoled with the families of the murdered journalists, some of whom FOCAP members had occasion to work with. These courageous media personnel were only doing their job to report crucial political developments in Mindanao and should not have been directly targeted by any partisan armed groups, it said. According to the group, the systematic and calculated killings are a direct affront to democratic principles, adding that barbaric act was intended to sow fear and to muzzle free, fearless and balanced reporting. Furthermore, it said that the carnage is a chilling prelude to the crucial 2010 presidential, congressional and local elections and erodes the public's sense of security and confidence on law enforcers. - LG/RSJ, GMANews.TV