LAST week Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri dared journalists to go to China to experience some “chilling effect.”
“Chilling effect” is felt when journalists cannot perform their functions because of fear.
“You all go to China. Can I invite you to go to China and do your reporting there? You will all be caught on site and brought on site. That’s a chilling effect,” Zubiri was quoted as saying.
The Senate President then asked the reporters he was addressing to help make the Philippines look good.
***
Why is the Senate President comparing the Philippines with China?
Public officials took an oath to uphold the Constitution. Article 3, Section 4 of the Constitution provides that “no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press…”
Actions respecting the Press must be measured by the standards set by the Philippine Constitution – not by the laws or regulations of any other country.
Moreover, even if true, totalitarian measures in other countries are a deviation from international metrics of human rights that keel steeply towards freedom.
***
For context, Zubiri looked askance at how the Philippine media had allegedly blown up the Percy Lapid case.
“You make the case very big. Pinapaputok niyo ang kaso. Pero sa totoo lang, sa ibang bansa, kagagaling ko lang sa ibang bansa, ganyan ang problema nila,” Zubiri said.
What made the case big is that Percy Lapid was a hard-hitting broadcaster who did not mince words in commenting against shenanigans in government.
What should hurt the image of the Philippines is the brazenness by which Lapid was assassinated. His popularity was not a deterrent to his attackers. Whether his killing was meant to silence him or to avenge a slight over his broadcasts is anathema to the cause of press freedom which government is sworn to protect under the Constitution.
***
The media’s continued coverage of the investigation is what drove the gunman to confess and point towards circumstances that led to the finding that Lapid’s assassination was remote-controlled from within the confines of the Bureau of Corrections.
It mattered greatly that the media shone the light on the murder no matter how unpalatable it might be to politicians. Government agents do tend to act with facility under the glare of public scrutiny.
Contrarily, the unyielding media coverage should be commended for helping the cause of accountability and breaking the fetters of impunity in contract killing.
***
An independent press is an essential cog in a democratic setup. It is the unofficial fourth branch of government because it informs the people of what they need to know in making political and economic decisions.
The mobilization of social media trolls to empower politicians is a step back from democratic ideals. Messengers of bad news and opinion are being felled not just by bullets but also by name-calling and other fallacies that are intended to shield incompetence and corruption in official stations.
We all know which of these elements presents more value to democracy.
***
Senators and congressmen are representatives of the people. A major function is to check executive power. They also exercise oversight functions that are meant to provide a counterweight to the massive powers of the President and his cabinet.
There is certainly a lot of room for government promotion in our pages. Philippine tourism needs stimulation, but government must also fulfill its role of providing better airports, better roads, and better medical facilities for travelers.
However, media may not be silenced when murders continue without accountability. Impunity thrives in a conspiracy of silence./PN
