Will Duterte Help Reform the Philippines or Will he be a Black Mark and Repeat Abuses of the Past?

Although he has said in some instances that some of his statements are said in jest, it did not seem that he was joking in this instance. CMFR hopes that the President-elect's statements are not interpreted by those who would silence journalists for whatever reason--whether they feel they have been abused by the media, or whether they have something to hide from the public--as a license to kill journalists.

Was he still speaking as Mayor of Davao City, thinking only of the particular case of Jun Pala about which he has strong opinions? As President of the Philippines, Mayor Duterte would hopefully be more circumspect. The killing of journalists is after all not something to be made light of, having earned the attention and condemnation not only of advocate organizations in the Philippines, but also of international press freedom watch groups, the United Nations and the European Community.

CMFR has established that 152 journalists have been killed in the line of duty since 1986. This number is a stain on our claim as a democratic society and exposes our boast about press freedom in the country as a sham. Despite some of its practitioners' admitted flaws, the killing of journalists cannot be dismissed simply as something that cannot be helped.

A democratically elected president must value the free press as essential to the democratic system that has elected him. Rodrigo Duterte, freely elected by the people, whose campaign relied on the free press to report his candidacy owes the Philippine press more than just this glib response.

Only two days ago has Duterte, under duress from the media, admitted that his statement was totally inaccurate and he states he does not desire any open season on reporters. "About 175 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since 1986. The country ranks 138th among 180 nations in the 2016 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without Borders."

Filipinos must demand better of their new president in all matters of truth and reporting. They must be vigilant and support a free press and demand more safety for its journalists. This means that the age of irresponsible language must also be squelched--in the Philippines, in the USA, and elsewhere.