Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri on Monday pleaded with the media to help the national government in improving the image of the Philippines.
Zubiri made the remark in a press conference following the filing of murder charges against two officials of the Bureau of Corrections and others in connection with the killing of radio broadcaster Percival “Ka Percy Lapid” Mabasa.
"I appeal to the media, tulungan niyo naman kami na pagandahin ang imahe ng Pilipinas, (I appeal to the media, please help us improve the image of the Philippines)," he told the media.
(Like that Percy Lapid case, the gunman has been arrested and the mastermind will soon be caught. Help us announce that to the whole world.)
Zubiri then brought up the issue of media killings in the country, insisting that freedom of the press still exists in the country despite reports that the press freedom ranking of the Philippines declined this year.
According to the 2022 Global Impunity Index of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the Philippines still remains one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists.
The New York-based nonprofit organization for press freedom said the country currently have at least 14 unsolved cases of murders of journalists, including the deaths of radio commentators Renato Blanco and Percy Lapid within the first two months of President Marcos’ administration.
"We are a free media. May pumipigil ba sa report ninyo sa Senate? Wala di ba? (Did anyone here in the Senate prevent you (from reporting)? Nobody, right?),” he said.
"Katulad noong Percy Lapid na iyan, nahuli na nga iyong bumaril at mahuhuli na nga iyong mastermind. Tumulong naman kayo i-announce ‘yan sa buong mundo," he added.
