MANILA, Philippines 鈥� Malaca帽ang on Tuesday lambasted the inclusion of President Rodrigo Duterte in a media watchdog鈥檚 list of this year鈥檚 鈥減ress freedom predators,鈥� saying the dishonor was 鈥渂ereft of merit鈥� and 鈥渂aseless.鈥�
Duterte was among 37 heads of government in a gallery published by Reporters Without Borders who 鈥渃rack down massively on press freedom,鈥� and waged a 鈥渢otal war鈥� against independent media.
The Paris-based media watchdog said that Duterte has an 鈥渁rsenal that he can use to wage 鈥榯otal war鈥� against journalists鈥� since there is 鈥渃ollusion at all levels.鈥�
In response, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque shot down the claims, saying that press freedom is 鈥渁live and well in the Philippines.鈥�
Roque cited as example the report of a prosecutor in the International Criminal Court (ICC) who seeks to investigate human rights violations in the country based on media reports.
鈥淭hat proves that freedom of the press is alive and well in the Philippines, wala ni isang kasong libelo na sinampa ang Presidente, walang kahit sinong mamamahayag napakulong ang Presidente,鈥� Roque said in a press briefing.
(The President has not filed a single case of libel against a journalist. No journalist has been jailed by the President.)
As to the issues being thrown against the President, including the ABS-CBN shutdown, Roque said it was Congress who decided not to grant the media giant a franchise to operate.
However, it can be recalled that Duterte said he was 鈥渧ery happy鈥� that he has 鈥渄ismantled the oligarchy鈥� in the country, days after Congress denied ABS-CBN a franchise.
The President was also quoted as saying that he would not allow ABS-CBN to operate even if Congress would grant it a new franchise.
In the media watchdog鈥檚 report, it noted that 鈥淐ongress tamely endorses all President鈥檚 decisions.鈥�
鈥淛udges who don鈥檛 toe the line are pushed aside. Congress tamely endorses all the president鈥檚 decisions. Backed by most of the private sector, Duterte easily imposes his line on media outlets owned by businessmen that support him,鈥� the group said.
Meanwhile, cases against Rappler, which is known to be critical of the Duterte administration, were hailed in court for supposed violations to the country鈥檚 law, particularly under the Securities and Exchange Commission.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 part and parcel, of course, of the media advocacy to promote freer press pero wala talagang basehan na media predator ang ating Presidente,鈥� Roque said in response.