Hold The Line Coalition welcomes acquittal of Maria Ressa and Rappler, calls for dropping of remaining cases
September 12, 2023, Manila—The Hold the Line Coalition (HTL) welcomes Tuesday’s Regional Trial Court verdict acquitting Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and her news outlet Rappler on the final criminal tax charge leveled against them by the regime of former President Rodrigo Duterte. The judgment comes after a legal battle lasting nearly five years. If they…
Cyberattackers used US company RayoByte in efforts to crash media sites
The cyberattack against the Somali Journalists Syndicate could not have come at a worse time. A distributed denial-of-service attack, known by its acronym DDoS, flooded the local press freedom group’s website with traffic in early August and knocked it offline. Days later, authorities arrested SJS staff member and Kaab TV editor Mohamed Ibrahim Osman Bulbul…
Unidentified attackers shoot Philippine journalist Joshua Abiad and family
Bangkok, June 30, 2023—Philippine authorities should thoroughly investigate the shooting of journalist Joshua Abiad, determine if the attack was related to his reporting, and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Thursday, June 29, unidentified gunmen shot Abiad while he was driving with his family in Quezon City, Metro…
CPJ calls on Philippine authorities to arrest suspects in killing of journalist Percival Mabasa
Bangkok, June 22, 2023—In response to Philippine Department of Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano’s statements on Tuesday, June 20, that arresting Gerald Bantag, a suspect in the killing of journalist Percival Mabasa, was “a little bit tricky” because Bantag had “certain networks with the police,” the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement: “Philippine police…
Radio journalist Cris Bundoquin shot and killed in the Philippines
Bangkok, May 31, 2023—Philippine authorities must launch a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of radio journalist Cris Bundoquin, determine if he was targeted for his work, and bring the perpetrators to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. In the early hours of Wednesday, May 31, two assailants on a motorcycle shot and killed Bundoquin on the…
In Marcos Jr.’s Philippines, milder tone belies harsh media reality
At a waterfront courthouse in Tacloban City, a long-time hotbed of communist insurgency in the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas island region, heavily armed guards were escorting jailed journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio to trial. The picturesque setting belied the harsh reality of the April 17 hearing. Cumpio could be put behind bars for life if found guilty…
Deadly year for journalists as killings rose sharply in 2022
By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director Published January 24, 2023 Key Takeaways | Methodology | 2022 Killed Data | Interactive Map | Video The year 2022 was deadly for members of the press. At least 67 journalists and media workers were killed during the year–the highest number since 2018 and an almost 50% increase from…
Hold The Line Coalition welcomes acquittal of Maria Ressa and Rappler, calls for all remaining cases to be closed
January 18, 2023 – The Hold the Line Coalition (HTL) welcomes Wednesday’s Philippine Court of Tax Appeals verdict, which has acquitted Nobel laureate Maria Ressa and Rappler, the news organization she founded, of tax evasion in four of seven cases brought by the government. If they had failed to defend the charges, Ressa could have…
Rappler contributor Frank Cimatu convicted of cyber libel in the Philippines
Bangkok, December 14, 2022 – Philippine authorities should not contest the appeal of journalist Frank Cimatu, and should stop filing spurious cyber libel charges against members of the press, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday. On Tuesday, December 13, a Quezon City court convicted Cimatu, a contributor to the independent news outlet Rappler, of…
Killing with impunity: Vast majority of journalists’ murderers go free
By Jennifer Dunham/CPJ Deputy Editorial Director No one has been held to account in nearly 80% of journalist murders during the last 10 years, CPJ’s 2022 Global Impunity Index found, and governments show little interest in tackling the issue. Published November 1, 2022 Statistical table | Methodology | Database: All journalists murdered for their work…