The militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) called for the government to exert all that it can to protect the members of the fourth estate because as can be seen they are as if sitting on the job as another broadcaster bites the dust in Laguna. He is the fourth journalist to be killed in two weeks. “How can journalists do their jobs well if they constantly fear for their lives?” asked Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos, secretary general of the group.

“Even if Malacanang appointed DILG Secretary to head the task force to solve the killings, it would not solve the root cause of why journalists are being killed. It is because in most of the cases the journalists killed are the ones who expose crimes, graft and corruption and other heinous activities of politicians themselves or their unscrupulous cohorts. For the primary duty of a journalist is to inform the public of the truth and we salute those who do so,” added the peasant leader.

The government is also proposing to arm journalists so that they can defend themselves, but again this is another no brainer solution and may cause a lot more trouble, because it may be abused. Another proposal is the incorporation of troops in media this is a very dubious thing because it would mean that the report will be biased for the military, army personnel would of course not report the anomalies in their ranks. This would destroy media credibility.

“The solution to end the killing of journalists is for government, military and police to clean its ranks of evil-doers who are the primary ones who prey on straight journalist who are just doing their duty. Then after cleaning their ranks they can now go after syndicates or crime-lords being exposed by reporters so that their lives would not be endangered,” said Carl Anthony Ala, public information officer of KMP.

“For journalists, they should strengthen their ranks and not be cowed by those who try to silence them, because we are with you and we will support you as long as you are on the side of the people,” ended Ala. # # #
 

KMP - 13 August 2004