UN Rapporteur Urges PH to Free Journalist, Scrap NTF-ELCAC

By Juliane Judilla

United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion Irene Khan said serious threats to the media and vocal critics continue in the Philippines.

Her remarks were part of her final report to the UN Human Rights Council during the 59th session held June 18 in Geneva, Switzerland.

Khan said that while the Philippines has a vibrant civil society and diverse media, journalists and human rights defenders still face threats.

She noted that reforms under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. have fallen short of international standards.

Measures by the Marcos administration since 2022 to protect human rights are not sufficient, Khan said, urging wide-ranging legal, policy, and institutional reforms to uphold free expression and end harassment.

Red-tagging, political detentions

Khan identified red-tagging as a serious concern and said government assurances have not ended the practice.

She pointed to evidence that state security forces continue to use red-tagging as part of counterterrorism operations.

Khan named the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) as a key player in red-tagging, along with military, government officials, and some media outlets.

She cited the cases of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and activists Marielle Domequil and Alexander Abinguna, arrested in 2020 and still jailed nearly five years later, now facing non-bailable charges allegedly filed without independent witnesses.

The Tacloban detentions illustrate how court delays turn pre-trial custody into punishment, Khan said.

She also criticized the Marcos administration for failing to respond to her September 2024 communication on these cases.

According to her findings, there were 450 red-tagging incidents in the first half of 2024, with 61 percent allegedly committed by state actors and 17 percent targeting youth.

Press freedom under threat

Khan also flagged attacks on media workers, citing the murders of Juan Tumpag Jumalon (DJ Johnny Walker), Cresenciano “Cris” Bunduquin, Percival Mabasa (Percy Lapid), and Renato Blanco in the first 18 months of Marcos’ presidency.

She criticized the slow investigations and said the Presidential Task Force on Media Security lacks proper implementation and awareness among police.

Khan also condemned the 2020 shutdown of ABS-CBN and the blocking of news sites Bulatlat and Pinoy Weekly as violations of press freedom.

She warned that website blocking amounts to censorship and must meet legal, necessary, and proportional standards.

She added that such restrictions harm both the media and the public’s right to information.

Khan urged the Philippine government to fast-track bail for political detainees, release those held without substantiated charges, and drop cases against Cumpio, Domequil, and Abinguna.

Her report included nine recommendations, such as abolishing NTF-ELCAC, amending the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, passing the Human Rights Defenders Protection Act, decriminalizing libel, supporting self-regulated media, and safeguarding peaceful assembly.

Khan concluded that vilification, threats, and harassment aim to silence dissent and erode press freedom.

Her findings were based on a visit to the Philippines from Jan. 23 to Feb. 2, 2024, during which she met with officials, civil society groups, and visited detention centers including Tacloban City District Jail.