No complacency on media security, says task force

President Marcos' media security task force yesterday vowed to shun complacency and to continue addressing all forms of threats against journalists, following a global report stating that no Filipino journalist was killed in the country last year.

- ALEXIS ROMERO

According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), at least 124 journalists and media workers were killed in 2024, nearly two-thirds of whom were Palestinians killed in the Israel-Gaza conflict.

Due to this, the watchdog described 2024 as the “deadliest” year for journalists, citing a sharp rise in global conflicts – political, criminal and military – over the past five years.

However, it was a different story for the Philippines as the CPJ reported that the country marked its first year in two decades without a journalist killing.

Analysts suggested this could indicate that Marcos has adopted a comparatively milder stance toward the press than his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, who frequently threatened media organizations.