Inside Philippine politics & beyond

FOCAP on the Charlie Hebdo massacre: “We are outraged, but we will not be cowed”

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The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), of which I am a member, issued this statement of solidarity today following the killing of 10 journalists in Paris Wednesday.

Journalists working in the Philippines have themselves experienced threats to press freedom. Barely 24 hours after the Paris killings, a 48-year-old female news correspondent was gunned down in Bataan province north of Manila. Nerlita “Nerlie” Ledesma is the 31st media worker shot dead since 2010 when President Benigno Aquino took office. While the number of fatalities during the Aquino administration is so far less than half of the 80 killed during the previous administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, this is cold comfort to all media workers who must deal with the possibility of being shot for words they have written or spoken.

Do you know that Philippine life insurance companies will not insure journalists who cover in “unsafe” areas like Muslim Mindanao  and rebel-controlled territories?

Most FOCAP members are veterans in covering Muslims’ fight for their freedoms. Many of us understand the agony of the Muslim people and have tried our best to convey their points of view. By standing side by side with our colleagues in Paris we are asserting the right of every human being to speak out freely, be they Muslim or Christian.

Comments

  1. The journalists are casualties of war!

    When these things happen, we need to dig deeper; we need to revisit history; why the extremism?; we need to ponder what are the root causes…

    I remember the saying:

    Another man’s terrorist is another man’s hero…

  2. Journalists are an endangered specie. They are endangered not only by religious fanatics, ganglords, warlords, corrupt politicians, and similar scumbags who maim or kill journalists, but they are also endangered by corporate profiteers who would not hesitate to shutdown newspapers, magazine, and other media when they no longer meet their corporate goals or profit targets. Adding insult to injury is the proliferation of psuedo-journalists who are simply mouthpiece of politicians and economic oligarchs – they are the main reason for the general mistrust of journalist by many people.

    • the charlie hebdos, the journalists in france, those journalists chose to show their freedom of expression in an offensive way, very offensive way. they mocked to shock. mocked all religions too. mocked famous people, celebreties even the pope got mocked. mocked not only islam but christianity and judaism as well. nothing is sacred to them, had fine tuned mockery into one offensive art form. sorry, I’m not charlie. never will be. I have manners and dont have a habit, or make a habit, of going all the way to mock and offend people, except binay, I mock him, he’s exemption to the rule, he, he, he.

      still, offence should not be used as excuse for committing violence.

        • concerning the above, the emphasis is on:

          1) although offended, followers of christianity, catholicism, judaism, etc. voiced concerns, disagreements and discontent, and even threatened to take legal action, but did not, or never tried to, slaughter the cartonists and stiffle free speech by using high end violence complete with orgy of blood bath and high powered guns.

          2) it’s not really the cartonists that’s doing disservice to muslims, but the minority, the terrorists, that’s tarnishing the peaceful majority of muslims.

          3), sorry po, couldn’t read anymore what’s written in this piece of editorial. paper was used to wrap fish and chips! too greasy. crumpled.

      • Cartoonists just mock, often with a clear message underneath, based on verified facts, such as “extremist fanatics misuse religion”. Making people laugh with extremist messages or authoritarian messages is a powerful tool to fight them.

        But what about other religions, believers in other Gods, in other Divine revelations, they believe that my God does not exist or is an impersonator, and my Pope a representation of the devil. Isn’t that much, much more offensive?

        By the way, shocking somebody in France is not that easy, unless you say something about their food.

        • apparently after eu, demographics in france has changed and there are those that got easily offended, shocked beyond point of no return blasting cartonists out of existence. not everyone in france exists in the same page anymore. liberty, equality, fraternity has given birth to something sinister and different altogether.

    • When society and gov’t are generally honest and progressive, journalists are trusted and loved.

      When society and gov’t are generally corrupt and mistrust each other, journalists are an endangered specie.

      :)

      :)

  3. Telling the truth to the masses which will cause uprising is the hardest job of all. History shows how dangerous this type of work is. Jose Rizal was shot by firing squad and a lot more follows after that in different counties.

    That is why, Journalist life is a rocky terrain with lots of land mines, be alert always, presence of mind, simple relax awareness will bring you safety.

    Happy new Year everyone….

  4. Wish that for New year one topic to be discussed nation is welfare if OFWs

    Siege on well being of OFWs is being waged by International airport manager Honrada.

    Honrada beginning Feb 1 will impose terminal fees on airline tickets bought by OFWs for travel out of the country. They are supposed to be exempted from terminal fees. They are entititled to refund however by proving they are qualified.

    Imagine the precious time required of OFWs to get refund, aside from being required to pay upon buying the tickets, the extra money tied up would have been used to better needs of OFWs before leaving their families.

    Currently the system is not broken in the airport. Those needing to pay including tourists line up diligently. Speaking of tourists, only in the Philippines tourists are required to pay terminal fees being cited as one reason tour groups and big family members are discouraged to tour the Philippines by foreign travel agencies. Philippine authorities are killing their own golden goose with terminal fees.

    OFWs must be cared and protected since they buoy the economy.aking life harder for them is another brilliant idea of incompetent relatives(Honrada) of Aquino in government.

    Maybe Netizens could help OFWs as the first act of fairness and deed of good act in this new year.

    DENOUNCEHONRADA for Pres Aquino to hear!

    • The new scheme to charge OFWs with terminal fees is a source of big time corruption. Those OFWs abandoning refund process due to irritation by the rigors of refunding will be taken advantage by airport officials by making false claims in the refund after the OFW has left the country.

      CORRUPTION is the target of the scheme since the system is not broken, why change it?

      • ‘Section 6. The liberty of abode and of changing the same within the limits prescribed by law shall not be impaired except upon lawful order of the court. Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health, as may be provided by law.’

        ‘ x x x Neither shall the right to travel be impaired except in the interest of national security, public safety, or public health x x x”

        I agree. Terminal Fees for OFWs violates SEC. 6 of ART. III Bill of Rights ’87 Consti.

        The fee is a ‘Terminator’s fee’ to ‘IMPAIR’ on the right to travel. Mr. Honrada’s convoluted idea makes him a bad terminator!

        The terminator robots will win unless a legal suit is filed to charge Mr. Honrada for being a lousy terminator.

        :) Thanks Johnny Lin@

        • Btw, there must be a ‘law’ qualified: only in 3 instances: national security – nada!

          public safety – nada! public health – nada again! And last, – public health – NADA TOO!

          If the fee is to generate revenues ‘under a law,’ it’s worsts. Unconstitutional to SEC. 6.

          Mr. Honrada, what say you?

        • Btw again. . . strict scrutiny legal doctrine applicable against Mr. Honrada to justify the fee, because what is violated is ‘a right to travel’ under the Bill of Rights.

        • Our SC said in a case –

          ‘In terms of judicial review of statutes or ordinances, strict scrutiny refers to the standard for determining the quality and the amount of governmental interest brought to justify the regulation of fundamental freedoms.[60] ‘

          ‘Strict scrutiny is used today to test the validity of laws dealing with the regulation of speech, gender, or race as well as other fundamental rights as expansion from its earlier applications to equal protection.[61] ‘

          ‘The United States Supreme Court has expanded the scope of strict scrutiny to protect fundamental rights such as suffrage,[62] judicial access[63] and interstate travel.[64]’

          The case is Jan. 20, 2009. Note what our SC said about US legal doctrine of strict scrutiny on “x x x interstate travel.’

          The root of this case was to prohibit ‘short time’ in motels etc., which the City of Manila via Ordinance wanted to prohibit. Gosh. . . SC even protects the ‘right to have SHORT TIME’ inside MOTELS etc. !

          The trial RTC court voided the Ordinance. Ct. of Appeals reversed RTC court. Petitioners asked SC. SC reversed Ct. of Appeals. Petitioners won on the right for short time.

          Our SC said:

          “Indeed, it is those “trivial” yet fundamental freedoms – which the people reflexively exercise any day without the impairing awareness of their constitutional consequence – that accurately reflect the degree of liberty enjoyed by the people.

          Liberty, as integrally incorporated as a fundamental right in the Constitution, is not a Ten Commandments-style enumeration of what may or what may not be done;

          but rather an atmosphere of freedom where the people do not feel labored under a Big Brother presence as they interact with each other, their society and nature, in a manner innately understood by them as inherent, without doing harm or injury to others.’

          Right to travel is an atmosphere of freedom. Like right to have short time happiness.

      • I posted that the law exempting OFWs from terminal fee is discriminatory and unconstitutional.

        The post is missing.

        • Dear Rene-Ipil,

          Could you repost using a new e-mail address? Somehow your posts are ending up in Spam.

          Thanks.

      • Thanks but you can do more by suggesting:

        If the system has to be fixed

        ELIMINATE TERMINAL FEES, at least to tourists but all together.

        In Manila domestic airport, terminal fees collected are supposed to be used to improve domestic airports. Condition of our airports are witnesses to corruption. recently, in Bohol, a tourist destination, airport was closed whole day due to an airplane with flat tire in the Tarmac. shameful Philippine tourist and aviation officials.

    • speaking of OFW’s.
      OWWA have a reintegration program.
      the seed fund was pegged at P2B.
      in the year 2012, i went through the process to avail of the min loanable amount of P300K.
      the OWWA group who did the program orientation gave us a list of basic requirements and any ordinary OFW shall not think twice to pursue as the program itself was very inspiring and promising.
      after passing through a whole day of training/workshop session, we wer directed to proceed to the bank according to our place of residence/region.
      so there i went to the last leg, the LBP.
      this bank was requiring a lot of documents, which are on top of the basic requirements OWWA listed. amazing, suddenly i realized i can’t secure all what was required then.
      the bank is not willing to release any amount without the documents being asked.
      what a frustration.
      what a waste of my time and precious little sum of money.
      i am not refraining any OFW who might read this to avail this wonderful program. i will just say good luck!
      for a starter, here is an article for a read: http://theofw-microinvestor.com/?p=555

    • I disagree. The fee should be charged to none or to all. Tourists support the economy. Businessmen and business women. Students are a long term investment. There is no Filipino who does not contribute to the well being of the nation if he/she is working and paying taxes, so how do we distinguish some as more deserving than others?

      All or none. Simple lang?

      • @posted a reply to Raissa, lost in transition which I said that terminal fees must be eliminated.

        On your disagreement, do you disagree that our OFWs should not be given the added burden of paying terminal fees to be refunded since they are already exempted? The current system is there is a terminal fee with exemption to OFW. Do you disagree with this benefit of our OFW?

        if you don’t believe our OFWs don’t deserve a break, That is a topic I would debate with you.

        If you disagree only on the entirety of paying terminal fees, there is no disagreement there!

        • Also exempted are Muslims going on pilgrimage. I think it is impossible to discriminate without giving a lot of good people a bum deal. All or none.

        • Nothing is perfect in this world. Provenance of terminal fee, that it was in existence from the get go and exemptions were added later..

          Americans gave preference to disabled by law when many disabled claim they are still capable of doing many things including working. Not different to giving privileges to hard working OFW Filipinos. Compassionate act might be equally descriptive too.

          Never read that you wrote in your blog that the American disability act was wrong because it gave a bum deal to many good people.

        • The subject of my blog is the Philippines, not America, and if it were America, I would have plenty of material to criticize and write about and seek solutions for. So don’t challenge my credibility on that point, as it is irrelevant.

          I don’t mind you sticking up for OFW’s. They are among my most favorite people. That said, I would rather it be a simple economic calculation based on the business principle of paying for the terminal services, rather than discriminating among the customers who do. I also agree with the train fee hikes that reduce the subsidies paid by outlying provinces.

        • I would add, that when fees go down for one select group or another, if the calculation is based on economic principles, the fees go up for other groups.

        • I understand your point since I’m paying terminal fee too on traveling so we are in agreement that it should be totally eliminated..

          Since terminal fee is in existence and the procedure is being fixed, when it’s not broken, to make it harder for OFWs, the argument presented on my post was on this point.

          You deviated by touching on the entire terminal fee which I countered its similarity with the American Disability Act or Affirmative Act on American education if you may by signifying that sometimes exempting privileges are extended to certain groups with acceptable compassionate reasons.

          with regards to your point that we are discussing what is in the Philippines and not in US, maybe you should review all your blogs and post because most of of our topics here are about the Philippines and many times you interjected for comparison what is in the US. Seems to me there is lack of consistency in that escapism.

          I was trying to point out discussion on the fruit apple, but since you mentioned orange, I tried to elucidate with the same orange fruit, using your very same phrase “gave a bum deal to many good people”. That is why understanding “provenance” is very important to avoid misunderstanding. nothing personal.

        • Very good, one point to you on the consistency argument. The disability and affirmative action laws are aimed at correcting matters of social discrimination, not funding of public services. They have a different reason for being unless you believe OFW’s represent a class of people that is discriminated against, and airport fees are an important way of rectifying that. I’d say there are better ways if that is the case.

          And, no, we do not agree, because I am actually FOR terminal fees, calculated as to economic need for airport services, because people who do not fly ought not subsidize those terminal fees. But I’d prefer no fees over a schedule hacked together to try to solve social problems through airport fees.

          Carry on. Absolutely nothing personal, I know.

        • Joe, for the sake of discussion on your contentions.
          being a teacher I expected you to be well informed on American education.
          “Not funding of public services”. Affirmative Action included public services to the poor of state universities funded by federal and state funds.

          OFW are given exemptions not only for compassion so that the small could be put to better use for the families they leave behind but as well as the gratitude of the nation and it’s people to sacrificing group of people working out of the country to better their families and the nation. American soldiers are also given certain benefits when stationed outside of US compared to same soldiers stationed in the mainland. Tell me this is not true!

          with regard to OFW not paying toll fees., it’s like saying again for consistency, all disabled people should not pay freeway and interstate tolls in America. Think something more ingenious and exemplary to justify rationale.

          If you condone terminal fees why do you advocate it only in the Philippines and not be vocal now that it should be paid by all tourists and respective national citizens worldwide mandated by international aviation authorities. you are also mistaken that airport fees are intended for social programs of Philippine government. provenance, provenance is important in understanding the subject.

          You are getting rattled or confused trying to rationalize that we are not in agreement. Read this post again
          “I am actually FOR terminal fees calculated as to economic need for airport services Because those who do not fly out ought not subsidize those terminal fees”
          Don’t make sense at all!

          Government funds govt projects, agencies, institutions etc from annual budgets. Airport services funds come from its regulatory agency like DOTC and CAB. Terminal fee is ONLY paid by those who fly out of the airport. Those who only ride or drive trains, jeepneys or tricycleto the airport without flying out do not pay Airport terminal fees, wherever those fees are intended for airport services. They also don’t subsidize airport services because it is govt obligation. Where did you get the idea that those who don’t fly subsidize airport services or terminal fees? Provenance, provenance!

          Terminal fees are only paid out by those who fly out with exemptions to some groups who fly out. Similar to senior citizens getting discounts on eating out are not subsidized by others who do not eat out but those who eat out without exemptions pay the right price written on the menu. It does not mean that if a young person is eating in the same restaurant his price on the menu goes higher because he is eating besides a senior getting the discount. Simple lang.

          Rest my case
          He he he!

        • Well, I’m glad you rested your case, because the conversation is getting a tad tedious.

          First of all, I am not a teacher, but a student of Philippine ways who learns most when provoking earnest conversation. I used to be a banker. I am for sure not a library of all the worldly knowledge you have at your command. When I get rattled and confused, I rely on well-meaning and better informed people to explain the issue to me without undue personal slights hidden within the style of argument. That, indeed, is what my blog is about and I am grateful that so many people correct me, and teach me, with enduring patience and respect.

          We disagree on the terminal fees. It is hardly the biggest issue before us, although I rather sense you are willing to disagree with that point, as well. I’ve explained my position, you have explained yours, and that’s great. Often that is where discussions end up when resolution requires information outside our command. Like, what exactly terminal fees are used for. CPMers are wise enough to figure out their own view, and I leave it to them.

          Cheerio.

        • On, small note to your remarks, If airport terminal fees become zero, then I presume funding of terminals would come from general funds, or taxes paid by those not flying. Just to explain where I was coming from.

        • Joe
          Review all your blogs and postings. In one of those, more than a year ago, you posted you had an stint as a teacher for a short time either in CA, Colorado or in Northwest to supplement your study or before you became a banker.

          On your last post, you said you were referring to the “taxes by those not flying” contributing to the general fund” Well, in US and Philippines, there are also those sending their kids to private schools but they pay taxes for public school use. that is how taxes and government work, equality. Suggesting selectivity on this process defies democratic principle. Thought you are staunch defender of equality in democracy.

          Remember my memory or you forgot you commented about it too.
          He he he!

        • New Year Confession to e@Raissa

          If I do scouring posts, blogs and googling, I would be online 24/7
          don’t have notes, no registered, iPhones, iPads or androids,no stored data in modem, no longer owns a PC, no clouds, not an email junkie, nor FB, Twitter and Instagram addict. Nor selfie psychopath. Don’t even have internet in my prepaid mobile phones.

          Only using free wifi in malls, airports, establishments and houses. Posting in your blog while walking inside malls, on the stairs, riding elevators, escalators and watching TV. Rely on photographic memory of experience on billions of analyzed pages of business, medical and ___? researches, encyclopedia and book readings, TV and internet info, every kind of news from before and postings, pros and cons comments, personal info shared by everyone in read blogs.

          case in point: “encounter of Tupas and Syjuco, popped in my head upon reading Ninong/ninang blog about Enrile and Miriam, immediately posted while doing puzzle, multitasker every time

          Raissa blog is sole info news now I participate with netizens(hope this is a compliment:). D’on’t read your articles in entirety, only scan with fast reading, return if necessary to review accuracy of referred data while posting comments.

          Next time: revelation
          He he he

    • This Person will be opening doors for corruptions, since most of the OFW will not waste time for refund. The old system is functioning well, why changed?

  5. Citing statistics from Center For Media Freedom and ResponsibilitY (CMFR), I posted twice yesterday and today my comment on what caused the killing of journalists in the Philippines. Missing without a trace. Not even a notice for moderation.

      • Not yet determined if work-related as journalist. If work-related, I think the killing is triggered by money. 80% perpetrated by illegal business operators such as drug lords, gambling lords, smugglers, etc. and 20% by corrupt politicians. Statistics wise.

    • Filipinos are sore losers.
      Politicians do not want to be criticized or exposed on their illegal activities. Silencing their critics is similar to not conceding defeat on election or bullying the opponent in sports. It’s the Filipino way, that is why Filipinos do not excel globally in team sports, individually yes until fame supervenes.

      Journalist knew the danger or risk involved when attacking personalities. They should be commended for doing their jobs. unfortunately, killings of journalists remain us solved because the counter measure relies on usual police technique. Try other measure like tooth for a tooth similar in Davao. When a journalist or activist like what happened to Dr Javier of Palawan, retaliate against the principal suspect or immediate families immediately, sponsored anonymously. that will teach the politicians/perpetrators hard lessons after several retributions.

      In the Philippines hard lesson is the best deterrent to prevent insensible violent action like journalist killing.

  6. My previous post is missing without a trace. The gist.

    Of the 23 instances of killing of journalists in the Philippines from 2010 – 2013 only ONE was attributed to politicians due to corruption. The others IMO were perpetrated by illegal business operators such as drug lords, gambling lords, smugglers, bank robbers, carnappers, etc. Meaning that in ALL instances of work-related killing of journalist the common thread is MONEY. A crusader, an extortionist or a double-crosser?

    For example, a journalist-crusader would expose and relentlessly write or broadcast the operation of a drug syndicate until the arrest of the drug lord. And this would trigger his or her death. Have we read or heard something like this about a “crusading” journalist?

    I believe that anything less than a “crusade” against the drug syndicate would merit the effort, money and the attendant risks to kill the journalist. Nothing personal. It’s purely business.

    • The identification of the French police officer shot at point blank range in Wednesday’s terrorist attack as a Muslim, Ahmed Merabet, has sparked an online conversation about the experiences of ethnic and religious minorities in France.

      Echoing the #JeSuisCharlie (I am Charlie) hashtag which went viral Wednesday in a show of solidarity for the newspaper’s victims, the hashtag #JeSuisAhmed is now gathering momentum online. Several have used it to point out that a Muslim man died defending a newspaper’s right to free speech, even when it had a history of mocking his own religion.

      A tweet by Arab political activist Dyab Abou Jahjah, below, was retweeted over 4,000 times within four hours on Thursday:

      http://time.com/3659534/charlie-hebdo-social-media-hashtag-je-suis-charlie/

  8. John Lennon’s “Imagine” reverberates:

    “Imagine there’s no countries, it isn’t hard to do
    Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too
    Imagine all the people, living life in peace …………

    I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will live a one” 1

    IMAGINE!!!!!!!!

    • oh yes!
      so ideal.
      and who knows, mark david chapman might have shot JL for that song?
      my imagination is weird…:)

  9. Why are the so-called good Muslims silent, on the Paris massacre, the IS atrocities and all other evil actions carried out in the name of Mohhamed?
    If only they were as brave and principled as the journalists worldwide who speak up and condemn the crazies who cause mayhem, rape and slaughter across the globe.
    If only they would stand up and be counted the world would be a much safer and better place.

    • They are not silent.

      See this story –

      Arab League, Al-Azhar condemn Paris shooting attack

      By Staff writer | Al Arabiya News
      Wednesday, 7 January 2015
      The Arab League and Al-Azhar, the Sunni Muslim world’s premier Islamic institution, were among many countries and international organization that strongly condemned Wednesday’s deadly shooting attack on the office of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.

      “Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi strongly condemns the terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo newspaper in Paris,” the League said after gunmen stormed the weekly’s offices killing at least 12 people and chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is greatest).

      Al-Azhar, a thousand-year-old seat of religious learning respected by Muslims around the world, referred to the attack as a criminal act, saying that “Islam denounces any violence”, in remarks carried by Egypt’s state news agency MENA.

      To read the rest of the story, click on this link – http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2015/01/07/World-leaders-condemn-Paris-shooting-attack-.html

      Al Azhar is one of the world’s oldest universities and the seat of Islamic thought. It is where most prominent Muslim clerics are educated.

      The Arab League is the 22-member organizations of Arab nations.

      • I’m actually referring to the man in the street. Not the institutions. In the Philippines they take to the streets because of a train fare hike and similar demonstrations take place all over the world. There is nothing more important in the world than this Islamic Revolution. I believe it is time for Joe Muslim to hit the streets. Unless they are happy to remain silent.

      • Muslim Fanatics are hard to control! Do their lives change for the better after sacrificing act? who is to blame? Imam?

        Another form of fanatics; religious fanatics in the recent Traslacion of Black Nazarene in Quiapo. Do their lives really change after their sacrificing act? Or is it for show or bragging rights that they participated. Who is to blame? Priests?

        One of the most famous participant is Noli De Castro. His life changed because he became rich. is it due to Traslacion or Pagibig?
        Conscience is excruciatingly painful sometimes!

        • The Catholic church is actively promoting this yearly spectacle, instead of asking her faithful to tone down the fanatical, shambolic, frenetic traslacion, and be true Christians.

          The media should be reminded not to highlight so-called “miracles” directly attributed by devotees to their participation.

          Let’s not succumb to superstition and “holy” interventions, please. We cannot pray away sickness, death, poverty, and other dire human conditions.

        • Maybe it’s not entirely the fault of the Church.

          Case in point: visit of Pooe Francis.

          Every newspaper, TV, radio, sponsoring companies are focusing on profiling on a daily basis the life and times of Pope Francis..

          Pope is visiting the Philippines not as dignitary but to enhance or validate the faith of Filipinos on Jesus as Catholics.

          Focus must be on the religion, life and tines of Jesus, many good deeds done by the Church in our country or abroad.

          By concentrating on Pope Francis the message of Catholicism is list. Every priest should participate but what every diocese has done is augment the mysticism of the Pope by saying a prayer intended for the Pope every Sunday.

          I don’t belittle the prayer though unnecessary every Sunday, but what the Bishops should have done is focus on a prayer for the improvement and education of the laity sustaining their belief on Christ. By focusing on Francis they are just exploiting the poor natural culture of Filipinos that adoring celebrities is more important than preaching the message of Christ.

          No wonder Filipino priests are ostentatious, love lavish lifestyle and mundane. They themselves do not understand the very basic concept of Catholicism. Francis examples are wasted on Filipino Clergies.

        • noli became more popular in joining the translacion!
          love begets money.
          ganyan pag may pag-ibig.

  10. Where is the outrage of the Filipino people for 31 journalists killed? Where are the “I’m a journalist” signs? Why are we so tolerant for just another killing? Why is there no national debate over the relevance of journalism in a democratic society? Why no outcry in the rest of the world?

    Because of the tabloid content of the media? Because of the money flowing around separate from justified income? Because of the provincialism of many media? Are journalist not taken serious, do only celebrities count?

    I don’t understand, I have so many questions.

      • the accused Ampatuans filled how many journalists in one day?

        and the judge is ‘listening’?

        what is the counting of the case(s) or how old already?

        sweet sixteen? of age at 18? Or when it is 21?

        Tagal !

        • Atty@leona… Ang tagal mga na hearing ang Ampatuan case… Bakit ganoon , hindi ba pweding implement STRICTLY the PROHIBITIONs of all KINDs of DILLATORY TACTICs sa court para makausad man lang at may maikulung na sa mga suspects?

          Ang CELDRAN case , sa tinagal tagal ng review sa Court of Appelas…. Ang pera COLA at DAMA ng taga NAPOCOR urong sulong ang SC kung ano ang tama… ang patayan ng mga journalist ganoon din….saan ba ang problema @leona?

        • My guess ‘saan ba ang problema?’ . . . is sa madumi na KOKOOO ng CORRUPTION.

          Translacion: in the dirty nails of corruptions!

          ‘dillatory tactics’ . . . is too much TOLERATED by our courts/JUDGES! That’s why some judges who retires later on, either early or mandatory ages, are DEFT already. . . listening to such tactics.

          I’d rather listen to Rock ‘n Roll music to become deft! At least I can dance to my happiness on it.

          Cases in ‘all courts’ from lowest to highest . . . there is URONG SULONG. . . why? ‘Di nag aaral yun mga yun!

          ha ha ha. What can we do when it’s like that? Be sure NOT TO HAVE A CASE unless no choice.

        • Ha ha ganoon ho ba @atty …kaya pala hmmm…. Tagal pa sa pagong kung umusad mga kaso pala

      • “Hardly anybody listened” seems to answer Joseph’s question, “Are journalists not taken serious . . .?”. I think he asks very important questions. I’ve come to the conclusion in the past few months that the tabloid style of journalism practiced in the Philippines is not supportive of democracy, which requires an informed public to operate well . . . not an incensed public. Or confused public. Or ignorant public.

        The journalism associations might want to focus on that. The dysfunctional contribution of tabloid news in a democratic society.

      • Difficult to compare a few hundred with hundred thousands…. and let’s see what today’s rally in Paris brings.

        Is a journalist with a white skin so much more valuable? Didn’t the Ampatuan massacre have Muslim undertones too? Is killing 30 journalists one by one for different reasons a lesser crime than killing 10 at once? In Paris the slaughter is linked with Islam extremism but here it is linked with war lords, judges for sale, impunity… , for me equally fearful.

        Why did the media fail to wake up the masses? Why does it not touch a Filipino nerve? Is journalism here just part of an entertainment decorum? Not fighting for ideas, but mainly for money? The irrelevance of dead journalist must have a cause.

        • Your last sentence – “The irrelevance of dead journalist must have a cause.” – gives us serious pause.

        • in our locality, the news i’m reading or hearing are just astray ones.
          i better read blog posts.
          may katas na may sustansya pa, ika nga.
          broad and tabloid are only ads to me now.
          instrument of influential or moneyed.
          same as the films.
          values, nada.
          imo, not worth my time.
          Phl got only few juornos, very few.
          esp. commentators.
          so easy to identify the color.
          the color of money flowing with the gist of his/her article.