The Philippines and freedom of expression: World Press Freedom Day. Special section by Canadian Journalists for Freedom of Expression (CJFE).

The Philippines

Dubbed by some 'the most dangerous country in the world outside war zones for journalists," the Philippines has one of the highest death tolls for journalists anywhere in the world; it also has an appallingly low success rate of convicting the murderers.

The factors that contribute to this state of impunity include ineffectual policing, warlord politics, government corruption, and problems with the justice system. It adds up to a devastating statistic - since 1986, when the Philippines returned to democracy - more than 60 journalists have been killed. Four cases have resulted in convictions, and in those four cases, only the actual killer, not the instigator behind the killing, has been brought to justice.

The Journalists in Distress Fund and Impunity Cases
One way in which CJFE is trying to stop the tide of impunity for those who attack and murder journalists is through our Journalists in Distress Fund. We have been part of two international efforts in two murder cases in the Philippines.

Edgar Damalerio
The first case was that of Edgar Damalerio, an award-winning journalist who was killed on May 13, 2002, while on his way home from a press conference. Two witnesses riding in Damalerio's jeep said the gunman, who was on a motorcycle driven by another unidentified male, was waiting alongside the road as Damalerio approached. The assailants fled the scene.

CJFE joined with one other organisation to provide the legal funds to bring his killer to justice.

FFFJ called the sentence a "decisive victory for press freedom" in the Philippines
The court case was successful, and the murderer, a local police officer, Officer Guillermo Wapili, was sentenced to life imprisonment on November 29, 2005. None of this could have happened without the great courage of Damalerio's widow Gemma, and the support of Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists (FFFJ) and other journalists who fought to ensure that his killer was brought to justice. Tragically one of those journalists, Edgar Amoro, who had witnessed Damalerio's murder, was himself murdered before the case went to trial.

Marlene Garcia Esperat
The second case CJFE got involved in was that of former chemist and investigative journalist Marlene Garcia Esperat, who was killed on March 24, 2005. She was shot dead by two gunmen in front of her home and her three children, after sending her bodyguard home for Easter. She had been under police protection because of articles she wrote in the weekly "Midland Review" which sharply criticised local corruption.

In Marlene Garcia Esperat's letter to President Arroyo, written on February 14, 2005, she wrote: “I am ready to die for this cause but you can never stop the will of the Lord.”

Four suspects, charged with carrying out the crime, were put on trial in Cebu. One of them, Randy Barua, told police that two officials from the Mindanao Department of Agriculture, Osmeña Montañer and Estrella Sabay, had asked him to hire gunmen to kill the journalist.

On October 6, 2006, we received the good news that three people had been convicted. Estanislao Bismanos, Gerry Cabayag and Randy Grecia were sentenced to 30 to 40 years each in prison. The three had pleaded guilty in the killing. Randy Barua was released due to lack of evidence. It was also reported that murder charges had been reinstated and warrants sought for the arrest of Montañer and Sabay, who were implicated as those who ordered the killing. We do not know if they have been apprehended at this time.

In both murder cases, these were only partial victories; the killers were brought to justice but not the masterminds behind the killings. But we believe that these cases will be important stepping-stones in securing the future safety of journalists in the Philippines . And we hope that the convictions send the message that those who attack journalists will be brought to justice.

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