We condemn in strongest words possible the Friday night raid by government troops of the office of the Abante Tonite, Daily Tribune newspaper, and the sending of troops to “watch” over broadcast stations, ABS-CBN and GMA7.
We reject the Arroyo government's attempts to assign blame on media for its current crisis and urge our media colleagues across the country not to be cowed by threats, open or veiled, seeking to scare us from boldly performing our jobs as we must.
We demand that the Arroyo government allow journalists and media organizations the fullest freedom to air and print news and information about the current political crisis, and that it desist from undertaking repressive action against journalists and media organizations covering the crisis.
When unrest and confusion reigns, as is happening at the moment, it becomes ever more vital for the people and members of the media to jealously protect the freedom of the press and expression.
Such is a lesson learned bitterly under the past brutal dictatorship, whose downfall, ironically, Filipinos commemorated yesterday.
Jose Torres, Jr.
Chairperson
NUJP Committee for the Protection of Journalists
Rowena Carranza-Paraan
Deputy Secretary-General NUJP
Raid on paper critical of Arroyo 02/24/06 11:05 PM, EST Police raided the office of a newspaper critical of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo after she declared a state of emergency to quell a coup plot. FULL STORY
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