#HoldTheLine Coalition welcomes dismissal of cyber libel charge against Maria Ressa and calls for remaining charges to be dropped
New York, August 12, 2021 – The #HoldTheLine (#HTL) Coalition welcomes the dismissal of a cyber libel charge against Rappler CEO and founder Maria Ressa in the Philippines — the second spurious charge against Ressa to be dropped in just two months. The #HTL coalition calls for all remaining charges to be immediately dropped and the…
Radio journalist Renante ‘Rey’ Cortes shot and killed in the Philippines
Bangkok, July 23, 2021 – Philippine authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of radio journalist Renante “Rey” Cortes and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 a.m. yesterday, unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle shot and killed Cortes while he was standing outside…
Philippine journalist Lady Ann Salem remains jailed after dismissal of firearms charges
Bangkok, February 17, 2021 – Philippine authorities should immediately and unconditionally release journalist Lady Ann Salem and refrain from filing any new charges against her, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On February 5, the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court dismissed illegal firearms possession charges against Salem, editor of the Manila Today English-language news website, stating that…
Philippine police arrest journalist Lady Ann Salem for alleged weapons possession
Bangkok, December 14, 2020 – Philippine authorities should immediately release journalist Lady Ann Salem without charge, and open an investigation into police officers’ alleged planting of weapons during her arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 9 a.m. on December 10, police arrested Salem, an editor at the Manila Today English-language news website and…
#HoldTheLine Coalition calls for new cyber libel charge to be dropped and pressure ceased against Maria Ressa
The #HoldTheLine Coalition condemns new legal threats against Rappler founder and CEO Maria Ressa and calls for a second, trumped-up criminal cyber libel charge to be dropped. Ressa posted bail after the new arrest warrant was filed on November 27, and will appear in court on Friday, December 4. The new cyber libel case was…
Philippine soldiers shoot and kill journalist Ronnie Villamor at checkpoint
Bangkok, November 23, 2020 – Philippine authorities should independently investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of journalist Ronnie Villamor, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. In the afternoon of November 14, Philippine Army soldiers shot and killed Villamor, a contributor to the local independent Dos Kantos Balita weekly tabloid, outside…
Journalist Virgilio Maganes shot and killed in the Philippines
Bangkok, November 16, 2020 – Philippine authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of journalist Virgilio Maganes and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. On the morning of November 10, two assailants on a motorcycle shot and killed Maganes outside his home in Villasis, in…
Getting Away with Murder
CPJ’s 2020 Global Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free By Elana Beiser/CPJ Editorial Director Published October 28, 2020 Incremental progress toward reducing the murders of journalists worldwide is fragile and could be thwarted by legal appeals and lack of political leadership, CPJ found in its latest report on…
Philippines makes premature claim to end of impunity in journalist murders
When the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural classified the 2009 Maguindanao massacre — the deadliest attack on the press ever recorded by CPJ — as “resolved,” Philippine authorities were quick to echo and tout this designation. Too quick, as it turned out. UNESCO’s then-assistant director-general for communication and information, Moez Chackchouk, made the official…
Journalist Jobert Bercasio shot and killed in the Philippines
Bangkok, September 15, 2020 – Philippine authorities should conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the killing of journalist Jobert Bercasio and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today. At about 8 p.m. yesterday, two unidentified assailants on a motorcycle shot and killed Bercasio, a reporter and commentator at the privately…