BAGUIO CITY (Feb. 23) – Members of the media here wore black t-shirts today as their contribution to the nationally coordinated commemoration of the International Day of protest against impunity and Journalist safety in the Philippines.

Baguio-Benguet (NUJP) National Union of Journalists of the Philippines chapter Secretary general Arthur Allad-iw shares that the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) declared February 23 as the international day of action against impunity and for the safety of Filipino journalists.

Even the photojournalists covering senatorial sorties in this city wore black shirts to express their protest to the continued killings of media, according to Artemio Dumlao, NUJP National Auditor and chapter chairman.

He adds that the 50th media members killed last week was Hernani Pastolero, an editor of the Lightning Courier in Sultan Kudarat. Dumlao noted that most of the killings of journalists are unsolved.

“This is fitting because February 23 is the eve of the anniversary of the first journalist killed under President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. It is also the eve of the anniversary of Proclamation 1017 which placed the country under a state of national emergency and resulted in the raid of a newspaper, shut down of critical radio programs and threats of closure of networks and newspapers,” the IFJ statement read.

Allad-iw added that other NUJP chapters, media organizations and practitioners in other parts of the country also joined the protest. He said media activities range from forum or discussion on the dangers of journalism in the Philippines to protest actions.

NUJP national leadership enjoined journalists and press freedom advocates to a Walk for Press Freedom to express their deep concern over the unsolved murders of journalists.

The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 115 countries. NUJP is affiliated with the IFJ. # Kimberlie Olmaya Ngabit-Quitasol for Nordis