UN rapporteur asks about media threats

United Nations Special Rapporteur on free expression Irene Khan yesterday quizzed Philippine officials on their response whenever a journalist is killed or receives threats, President Marcos’ media security task force said, as it expressed confidence that it was able to dispel negative notions about the state of press freedom in the country.

- ALEXIS ROMERO

 

Khan is in the Philippines for a 10-day visit that seeks to examine the status of free expression and media freedom in the country, said to be the home of the freest press in Asia.

Before her meeting with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin in Malacañang yesterday, Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Paul Gutierrez said Khan was informed about the administration’s efforts to improve the Philippines’ ranking in the Global Impunity Index of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

“She asked about the processes in case there are threats against the media and we explained it to her. She also asked what the agencies of the government are doing in case a member of the media is killed and it was explained to her,” Gutierrez said in a public briefing over staterun People’s Television.

Gutierrez noted that the Philippines’ ranking in the 2023 Global Impunity Index improved by a notch to 8th from 7th under the previous administration.

“Her visit can help open the eyes of the United Nations that not all the reports reaching the UN are accurate and that our government has a stronger credibility in terms of responding to this problem, because our processes are complete and the justice system in the country remains strong,” he said.