ILOILO CITY – The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the detention of journalists who covered the failed mutiny at the Manila Peninsula hotel.

In an e-mailed statement released on Monday, the IFJ called the detention of journalists covering the failed mutiny an “obstruction” to the conduct of their work.

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 120 countries.

In the statement, IFJ's Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said the police action against the journalists “is a great disappointment in a country where media freedom is meant to be constitutionally guaranteed.”

“The detention of journalists in the Philippines can be seen as an attempt by the government to intimidate media personnel into less aggressive reporting of political events,” said Park.

Media organizations in the country had earlier also condemned the treatment of journalists as an affront to press freedom.

At least 30 journalists were detained and taken to the police headquarters in Bicutan, Taguig City after the seven-hour stand-off. Police also confiscated video footages of the event.

Police officials had said that the detention of journalists was part of procedures to ensure that none of those involved in the failed mutiny had pretended to be journalists to evade arrest.

But the IFJ said police could have easily verified the identities of the journalists.

“Some news anchors covering the coup attempt at the hotel are well-known personalities who would be easily identifiable to police and therefore could not have been mistaken for rebel soldiers,” said Park.

While it welcomed reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has expressed regrets on the detention of journalists, the IFJ called on the government “to make a firm commitment that such action will not be repeated in the future.”

It quoted its affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines, expressing concern that because of the detention of journalists who covered the incident, “some media organizations may have been sufficiently intimidated into softening their coverage of future events.”

The IFJ said it is joining the NUJP in condemning the actions of the police and calling on the government “to uphold the constitutional freedom of the media to ensure that media personnel are not intimidated or detained for doing their jobs.”*NPB

back to top