“Speak Out!” is the
message of the opposition senators to all Filipinos against the attacks on free
press and journalist after a court of law convicted Rappler Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and founder Maria Ressa and former Rappler researcher Rey Santos
for the crime of Cyber Libel.
"Attacks" on journalists and the
"silencing of critics" in the Philippines have been "going on
for three years now," Sen. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan said in a
statement after the conviction.
"Under the current political atmosphere of
repression and authoritarianism, it would have been a surprise if Maria Ressa
and Reynaldo [Santos] were acquitted," he said.
 |
| Senator Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan (photo credit to owner) |
"Unless we stand up, speak out, and vigorously
oppose the tyranny in our midst, their conviction will not be the last, he
said.
Pangilinan’s fellow opposition senator Risa
Hontiveros said the conviction of the two was meant to "send a chilling
message" to Filipinos that the Duterte government critics can be shut down
and silenced.
"This year alone and while we're responding to
a global pandemic, we have witnessed the shutdown of a far-reaching media
institution and the weaponization of the law against a journalist doing
unbiased reporting on extrajudicial killings in the country," she said
referring to ABS-CBN Corporation’s shutdown and Ressa and Santos’ conviction.
"The attacks on
the free press & journalists are a danger to our democracy & to us
Filipinos... Takot sila, kaya nila tayo pinapatahimik (They are scared that's
why they want to silence us)," Hontiveros adds.
Detained opposition senator Leila De Lima sent out
a statement regarding Ressa’s conviction saying that this is another
demonstration of the Duterte government's weaponization of law against those
who dare speak truth to power."
"They will not stop at going after critics and
human rights defenders. To them, journalists too must be silenced. But we will
not allow it," said De Lima.
What
can you say about this?
Share us your thoughts by simply leaving on the
comment section below. For more news updates, feel free to visit our site
often.
Stay
updated with today's relevant news and trends by hitting the LIKE button.
Thanks
for dropping by and reading this post.
Report from ABS-CBN News
Disclaimer:
Contributed articles does not reflect the view of THE PH CHRONICLES. This website cannot
guarantee the legitimacy of some of the information contributed to us. You may
do additional research if you find some information doubtful. No part of this
article maybe reproduced without permission from this website.
0 Comments