Press Freedom Protection Archives

Gov’t data used in doxxing of two Cagayan de Oro journos

MANILA – The Cagayan de Oro Press Club Inc. (COPC) expressed “deep concern” on Saturday, November 4, over the doxxing of two of its members.

Misamis Occidental broadcaster gunned down while on air

Armed men gunned down a radio anchor on Sunday, November 5, while broadcasting live at his home studio in Calamba town, Misamis Occidental, in the southern Philippines.

Rappler, Ressa acquitted of 5th tax evasion case

ON SEPTEMBER 12, Pasig City Regional Trial Court Branch 157 acquitted Rappler Holdings Corporation (RHC) and its president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa of the fifth tax evasion charge filed by the former administration of Rodrigo Duterte. The court victory ended after four years and 10 months...

Photojournalist wounded in ambush; his nephew, 4, dies later

Unidentified assailants shot and wounded a photojournalist in Quezon City on June 29, 2023. Rene Joshua Abiad of Remate online sustained gunshot wounds in the hand and the shoulder.

VERA Files receives death threats

MANILA – A Facebook user sent death threats to VERAFiles on June 24 through the news outlet’s FB Messenger, editor Ellen Tordesillas reported to CMFR today.

Radio broadcaster shot dead in Oriental Mindoro third journalist killed under Marcos Jr.’s watch

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Two men aboard a motorcycle shot and killed a radio commentator on May 31, 2023, in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, 237 kilometers south of Manila.

State of Press Freedom in the Philippines 2023

This report focuses on the present, the state of the press in the country in the first ten months of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

State agents harass media workers who refused to sign as witnesses in drug op

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – Reporters covering the aftermath of an anti-illegal drugs operation in Pasay City, Metro Manila were harassed by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on March 16. Personnel of the NBI’s Task Force on Anti-Illegal Drugs were reportedly attempting to coerce media workers to sign as...

Court acquits Rappler’s Maria Ressa of tax evasion

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) on 18 January 2023 cleared Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Rappler CEO Maria Ressa of all four tax evasion charges filed against her and her news organization.

QC court convicts Baguio-based journo of cyber libel

CMFR/PHILIPPINES – A Quezon City court convicted Baguio-based journalist and Rappler correspondent Frank Cimatu of cyber libel on December 13 over a 2017 Facebook post that the court said accused then Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol of corruption.