[ad_1]
Source: website of the Committee to Protect Journalists
MANILA, Philippines – After ranking fifth last year, the Philippines is now out of the top five countries considered most dangerous for journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
In its 2020 Global Impunity Index released Wednesday, the Philippines improved its ranking to seventh out of 12 countries on the list, with CPJ calling the country the “biggest driver.”
The country has remained in fifth place from 2017 to 2019 and has been a pillar in the conception of the global impunity index since 2008.
According to the watchdog group, the improvement of the Philippines was due to the conviction of former Maguindanao Mayor Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr., his brother Zaldy and their accomplices in the gruesome killing of 58 people, 32 of whom were from the media, during the Maguindanao massacre in November 2009.
“The landmark convictions late last year led CPJ to adjust the status of the Ampatuan cases to ‘partial impunity’ from ‘total impunity’ previously, meaning they would no longer have figured in the index calculation regardless of the period of time, ”said CPJ. .
There are currently 11 unsolved murders of journalists in the Philippines, CPJ noted.
While the Philippines ranks seventh, Somalia was named the number one deadliest country for journalists, followed by Syria, Iraq, South Sudan, Afghanistan and Mexico.
Meanwhile, Brazil ranked eighth on the index, followed by Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia and India.
Safeguard PH press
The Presidential Task Force on Media Security, meanwhile, welcomed the country’s ranking in the index.
“We will remain steadfast in our commitment to protect and promote the security of the media by all legally possible means, relentless in the face of adversity,” task force president and Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said in a statement on Thursday.
That was also the reaction of the executive director of the media security working group, Joel Sy Egco, saying: “Despite the many challenges that our media workers are facing right now due to the pandemic, the country has a reason to be happy for this very welcome event. “
“However, we will not rest until we are completely off this list and until the day when no media worker has to be killed in the name of their sacred duty and regardless of motive,” he added.
JPV
Read next
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer and more than 70 other titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download from 4am and share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
For comments, complaints or inquiries, please contact us.
[ad_2]
