Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Philippine prosecution to drop all charges against journalists on the grounds of an article of law which, under the guise of fighting “false information” linked to Covid-19, constitutes serious violation of press freedom
On April 1, Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police and military to shoot people who do not respect the lockdown of the nation. “We are really worried and shocked. We are living a double battle every day: with the pandemic or with the drug-related murders”, says Sebastian Cruz, 23, to Fides, who lives in a slum in Manila, where people are forced to leave the house to get food.
Once a reliable military ally, the Philippines appears poised to turn its back on a long standing military agreement with the United States.Earlier this month, Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte announcing his decision to end the Visiting Forces Agreement with the United States. That agreement, the VFA, allows American soldiers visa-free access to train at military bases in the Philippines. Top American military officials say this decision is a major misstep in US Philippine relations
This week, Manila repatriated 12 workers from Baghdad. Meanwhile, a government labor attaché travelled to Saudi Arabia to help in the repatriation effort, though it remained unclear how many Filipinos had responded to their government’s call to return home
Fifty-eight people, including 32 journalists and media workers, died on Nov. 23, 2009, in what had been described as the world’s biggest single-day killing of members of the press. Almost 100 people have been jailed and charged with murder, but none have been convicted