The Philippines on Tuesday blasted a New York-based media watchdog after it claimed the country was among the deadliest peace time nations for the working press.
While acknowledging that there have been over two dozen killings of journalists in the past decade, President Gloria Arroyo’s chief aide, Eduardo Ermita said the cases “have all been properly attended to.”
“We view with discomfort the manner the Philippines is once again put in a bad light on its commitment on the promotion and protection of human rights,” Ermita said in a statement.
He was reacting to a report released in Manila by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Monday that placed the Philippines sixth in a list of countries where members of the press are killed with impunity.
The report said there were over two dozen killings that have gone unsolved in the past decade, with witnesses being threatened or attacked.
The report placed Iraq, Sierra Leone and Somalia at the top of the list for the second year running, while Asian countries wracked by strife like Afghanistan, Nepal and Pakistan were also cited.
The CPJ said the Philippines was “first and foremost the country of concern” where the killings happened at a time of peace and where there is a working democracy.
The group also called on the government to assign special prosecutors, move trials to safe places and put in place measures to protect families and witnesses.
Ermita said the CPJ report was an “unfair depiction of what is happening” on the ground.
He said that based on government statistics, 31 press workers have been killed since 2001. Two of the 26 cases filed had been solved and four people had been convicted, he added.–AFP
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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