The government continues to respect free speech and press freedom and does not engage in silencing critics, according Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar.
(PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Andanar highlighted the country’s vibrant democracy after the European Parliament called out the administration on the alleged deteriorating human rights situation in the country under President Duterte.
“Human rights, freedom of speech, and media freedom, among others, are vital and essential foundations in a democracy, an ideal that a country like ours values very much,” he said.
“These democratic facets, especially the plurality of voices, remain vibrant and alive under the administration of President Duterte, where we welcome and encourage all Filipinos to exercise their inherent rights for us to improve and implement better social services and socio-economic policies for our collective growth and development,” he said.
Andanar insisted that allegations about attempts to silence critics, including some media, are “wholly unfounded.”
“The freedom of expression and press freedom have never been and will never be curtailed by the Duterte administration,” he said.
He noted that the government has taken steps to ensure the protection of media rights and security such as the formation of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS).
“We remain in continuation, since 2016, of breaking the global stigma placed on the Philippines as one of the deadliest and worst places for journalists and media workers in the world as reported by the Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters without Borders,” he said.
Andanar cited a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey in 20019 that showed three out of five Filipinos believe that they can speak “openly and without fear” on different issues as reported. The country has also retained a satisfactory position in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Democracy Index at 54th rank last year, he added.
The European Parliament recently approved a resolution denouncing the “rapid” deterioration of human rights and press freedom in the country and urged the Duterte government to address these concerns.
The resolution also condemned the threats, harassment, intimidation, rape, and violence against those who seek to expose allegations of extrajudicial killings and other human rights violations in the country, including human rights and environmental activists, trade unionists, and journalists. It likewise denounced the alleged misuse of the law and judiciary systems as a means of silencing critical voices.
The parliament also called on the Philippine government to implement the recommendations outlined by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, including independent probes on alleged rights violations.