“I believe that, sooner rather than later, justice for Ka Percy’s death will be achieved.”
Ito ang pahayag ni Senador Risa Hontiveros nitong Martes, Oktubre 3, isang taon matapos paslangin ang batikang mamamahayag na si Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.
MAKI-BALITA: Broadcaster na si Percy Lapid, patay matapos pagbabarilin sa Las Piñas City
Sa isang forum sa Quezon City nitong Martes, inihayag ni Hontiveros na naniniwala pa rin siyang mahaharap din sa korte ang mga akusadong sangkot sa pagpaslang kay Lapid, kabilang na umano si dating Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director general Gerald Bantag.
Press freedom advocates, nanawagan ng hustisya para kay Percy Lapid
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“I remain hopeful that Bantag and the other accused individuals on the run will be brought before the courts to face the charges against them,” ani Hontiveros.
Samantala, binigyang-pugay rin ng senadora si Lapid dahil sa pagiging mamamahayag nito na palagi umanong nakakiling sa katotohanan.
“His reporting offended and irked people of power and influence. From corruption, human rights abuses and government mismanagement, Ka Percy was never afraid to tell the truth, and to advocate for what is right,” ani Hontiveros.
“For Percy Lapid, the truth was always worth telling - no matter how difficult, unpopular, or deadly it is to do so.”
“His story, unfortunately, is all too common in our supposedly free and democratic country,” saad pa niya.
Kaugnay nito, inihayag ni Hontiveros ang datos ng global watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists noong 2002, kung saan naging top 7 umano ang Pilipinas sa “most dangerous country in the world for media workers.”
Binanggit din niya ang naging pagpaslang sa broadcaster na si Cresenciano Bunduquin sa Oriental Mindoro noong Hunyo 2023, maging ang “civil, criminal or administrative charges” na kadalasa umanong ibinabato sa mga mamamahayag.
MAKI-BALITA: Killer ng Mindoro broadcaster, kakasuhan na! — PNP chief
“Make no mistake: these attacks on journalists - whether physical or otherwise - represent a worsening challenge to Philippine democracy itself. Every slain journalist weakens our collective ability to speak truth to power, to demand justice, transparency and accountability, and to defend our basic rights,” giit ni Hontiveros.
“Upholding press freedom, and protecting our journalists starts with the promotion of the rule of law. To dismantle the culture of impunity regarding media killings, we must identify, investigate and prosecute those behind these heinous acts,” dagdag pa niya.
Dahil dito, ayon kay Hontiveros, inihain umano niya kamakailan ang Senate Bill No. 1593 na naglalayong i-decriminalize ang libel sa Pilipinas upang matapos na umano ang paggamit ng criminal laws para busalan ang malayang pamamahayag.
“Alongside our growing coalition of partners within and outside the Senate, I will continue to push for the decriminalization of libel. I believe that more and more people are seeing that journalists should not be made to face criminal charges simply for doing their jobs,” ani Hontiveros.
“It is clear that much of the reforms which must be undertaken to stop media killings and better protect press freedom in the Philippines lie with the government. However, that does not mean that the rest of the country, and the world, should only watch and hope for the best,” saad pa niya.
