Sunday, May 15, 2005

NR0512:Congres sshould act on journalist killings

Mula sa Tanggapan ni Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran
News Release May 12, 2005
House of Representatives, South Wing Rm 602
931-6615 Ina Alleco R. Silverio, Chief of Staff
Email: paggawa@edsamail.com.ph, anakpawis2003@yahoo.com
Cellphone number 09213907362
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Rep. Beltran calls of Congress to act on resolutions, bills calling for the protection of members of the media; help bring journalist killers to justice

Anakpawis Representative Crispin Beltran today said that the Macapagal-Arroyo administration has no right to deny accusations from the international media community that the Philippines is one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists.

"Journalists are being killed left and right, but President Arroyo herself has said nothing definitive in condemnation of these killings. The least that she can do is to support the investigations being conducted by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) into the violent attacks against members of the media, and to order her allies in the House of Representatives to hasten deliberations on bills and resolutions investigating the killings, and affording protection for members of the media."

Beltran challenged the House leadership to also act on the pleas of journalists and the families of journalists killed in the last two years that laws be enacted to protect members of the media, and to help bring the perpetrators of the cold-blooded killings of journalists to justice.

Finally, Beltran said that President Arroyo should also issue an apology as commander in chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the inclusion of journalists groups such as the NUJP in its hitlist. He said that the AFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) were among the institutions that are strongly alleged to be behind the killing of journalists. "The AFP and the PNP are among the most corrupt and mercenary government institutions and are often the target of the expose and criticism of the more fearless members of the Philippine media. The AFP and the PNP and the rag-tag criminal syndicates that are said to be under their protection in tandem with corrupt public officials are suspects in this shocking wave of journalist executions," he said. #

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