DOJ, PTFoMs discuss media killings, Cumpio case with UN special rapporteur Khan

United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan on Thursday met with officials from the Presidential Human Rights Committee Secretariat (PHRCS), the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMs), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) regarding the killings of journalists in the country.

“It was a pretty good and productive day,” Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said in a media briefing at the DOJ.

“And we were able to show na ang ating pamahalaan sa ngayon ay ready, willing, and able na proteksyonan ang mga members of media in the performance of their task and duties,” he added.

(And we were able to show that the government is ready, willing, and able to protect members of media in the performance of their task and duties.)

According to Vasquez, they assured Khan that journalists are not given special treatment after she asked if there was "favoritism."

“Sinabi rin namin kasi may tanong siya, ‘yan ba ay—ibig sabihin ba parang may favoritism, priority na ibinibigay sa media? Sabi namin hindi. Nagkataon lang kasi na ‘yan ang naha-highlight kasi apektado ang mga media practitioners,” he said.

(She asked if there was favoritism or priority given to media. We said no. It just so happened that was highlighted because it affected media practitioners.)

“Pero hindi ibig sabihin na ‘yang ordinary crimes at ordinary victims ay hindi pinagtutuunan ng pansin, hindi pinoprotektahan, at tinutulungan ng pamahalaan ng ating DOJ, hindi po,” he added.

(That does not mean that ordinary crimes and ordinary victims are neglected, and are not protected or helped by the DOJ.)

Media killings

According to PTFoMS Undersecretary Paul Gutierrez, specific cases discussed involved the case of Renato Blanco, the broadcaster stabbed to death in Negros Oriental; Cresenciano "Cris" Bundoquin, the broadcaster killed in a shooting incident in Oriental Mindoro; radio anchor Juan “DJ Johnny Walker” Jumalon, the anchor shot to death during a live broadcast; and Percy Lapid, who was shot in Las Piñas.  

“We believe that we were able to answer all her questions regarding those cases,” Gutierrez said.

Vasquez said three of the four cases are already in court while the Jumalon case is still undergoing investigation.

“Ang ibig sabihin lamang po niyan ay tumatakbo ang atin pong hustisya at lahat po ng mga nagkakasala ay nagkakaroon ng pagkakataaon na sagutin ang kanilang mga nagawang kasalanan ayon sa pagtingin ng ating mga kapulisan o ‘yung ating NBI at sa prosecution,” Vasquez said. 

“At ito ang pagkakataon nila… ipakita kung sila nga ay walang kasalanan,” he added.

(What that means is justice is working and everyone who has committed crimes are given the opportunity to answer for their crimes according to the police or the NBI and the prosecution. And this is their chance to prove it if they have not committed any crimes.) 

Gutierrez said some of the suspects in Jumalon’s killing recently sent feelers to the authorities. Complaints for murder and theft were filed against three suspects in November 2023.

“‘Yung tatlong suspek ay nakilala na natin. ‘Yung dalawa po sa kanila ay nagpadala na po ng kumbaga ay feeler na gusto na nilang marinig ng ating piskalya ‘yung kasong sinampa laban sa kanila,” he said.

(We have identified the three suspects. Two have sent out feelers that they want the authorities to hear them on the case that has been brought against them.)

Cumpio case

Gutierrez said they also discussed the case of Frenchie Mae Cumpio, the journalist who was arrested in a police raid in Tacloban in 2020 for alleged illegal possession of firearms. Cumpio was also accused of being a member of the New People’s Army.

“Ang issue kasi dito kay Ms. Cumpio is whether siya ba talaga ay journalist or batay doon sa kasong sinampa sa kanya, siya ay miyembro ng CPP-NPA. But the thing na ni-raise niya dito, hindi pa mismo ‘yon… mas ni-raise niya dito, dumadaan ba sa tamang proseso itong kasong ito ni Ms. Cumpio,” he said. 

(The issue with Ms. Cumpio is whether she really is a journalist or, according to the case filed against her, she is a member of the CPP-NPA. What she [Khan] raised here is not that, but if Ms. Cumpio's case is going through due process.)

According to Gutierrez, Khan expressed concern over how long Cumpio’s case is taking.

Vasquez, meanwhile, said they informed Khan that the case is now undergoing trial.

“Ang isang bagay na binanggit namin ay ‘yung isang kasong ‘yon ay nasa poder na ng ating mga court system at ‘yan ay independent ang separate and co-equal branch na hindi pinapakiaalaman ng executive o ng legislative branch ng ating gobyerno,” Vasquez said.

(We said that the case is not in the hands of the court system and that is an independent, separate and co-equal branch that the executive and legislative branches of government do not interfere with.)

The officials said Khan also wanted to know about the country's criminal justice system and whether dismissed complaints are already considered resolved.

“It was explained to her na hindi nagtatapos doon. Kung hindi umakyat ‘yung kaso sa korte at nasa level ng piskal ay hindi po natapos ang imbestigasyon doon o pagbibigay ng hustisya sa ating mga kapatid na napaslang. Dahil ito ay ibabalik sa imbestigador para palakasin pa ‘yung kaso,” Gutierrez said.

(It was explained to her that it does not end there. If the case doesn't reach the court then the investigation is not finished and justice has not been provided to those who have been killed. The case is therefore returned to the investigator for strengthening.)

Prosecution rate

Meanwhile, Vasquez said Khan was surprised and impressed with the country’s prosecution rate, or the percentage of cases that are resolved or dismissed.

According to the PHRCS, the country has roughly a 50% prosecution rate.

“Of course, kasama na rin po dito ‘yung mga na-prosecute during the Maguindanao massacre. That’s why malaki po talaga ‘yung difference from the the international average na meron po tayo. And she was very impressed that we have that kind of system, working judicial system,” PHRCS chief-of-staff Jyro Go said.

(This includes those who were prosecuted for the Maguindanao massacre. That's why we have a big difference from the international average.)

Meanwhile, PHRCS Executive Director Severo Catura also called on civic society organizations to coordinate with them and give them data on cases.

“The accountability mechanisms are just waiting to be availed of. Sayang, nandyan siya eh. Kaya nga sana naman. Kung talagang seryoso sila, ‘yung mga nagbibigay ng kasong ito, masolusyonan na talaga,” Catura said.

(It would be a waste not to use them; they're there, so hopefully people will. If they are really serious about solving these cases, they can be resolved.)

“And remember, we’re not just talking about numbers here. For every case, there’s a person, there’s a warm body who has a warm body, who has a family, who has a brother, sister, etc. Hindi lang ito statistics, eh. [These are not just statistics.] So we need to go down and that is human rights in the proper perspective,” he said. — BM, GMA Integrated News