In a statement marking Press Freedom Day on May 3, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines identified the social media harassment and threats as coming from rabid supporters of presidential candidate and survey frontrunner Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“We call on companies behind social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook (Meta), Instagram, Google and YouTube to investigate these attacks as possible coordinated behavior and how provocative content by pro-Marcos personalities endangers, smears and incites hate and possible attacks on independent journalists,” FOCAP said.
It expressed grave concern over the attacks, citing three instances of harassment.
Washington Post Manila Correspondent Regine Cabato was called a “whorenalist” and faced online attacks for her well-vetted story on historical revisionism.
BBC correspondent Howard Johnson was subjected to a barrage of online abuse – including a threat that someone will “slash his neck for besmirching the Filipino’s reputation” – after he asked Marcos Jr. how he can be a good president if he does not allow “serious interviews.”
The obscenity and expletive laden attack posted by senatorial bet Larry Gadon on South China Morning Post journalist Raissa Robles in response to her tweet on the past tax conviction of Marcos Jr.
According to the FOCAP statement, these attacks, along with the difficulty for journalists to reach the survey frontrunner and his campaign team tor answers on longstanding issues and controversies, undermine a critical and free press in an Asian bulwark of democracy and have sparked fears on how independent media would be treated under a possible Marcos presidency.
Despite its legitimate grievances on how the Marcos campaign treats journalists, FOCAP said it maintains a non-partisan stance in the May 9 elections.
Journalists and correspondents expressing various grievances are common during Press Freedom Day, and while those valid concerns being connected to one candidate for the presidency should already be a red flag, it becomes even more worrying when only the front runner according to surveys is involved.
Journalists should have access to public officials, especially those who could be leading an entire country, so they can file proper news reports and write in depth stories, and do their job without fear of online or physical attacks. The people of a country where such basic conditions are not made available to the legitimate press by prospective leaders should worry about the direction they are going.
Hopefully Mr. Marcos and all the candidates vying for public office in the upcoming elections can prove their commitment to preserving and protecting press freedom in the Philippines, not just with empty words, but through actions and policies.*
