Rally Participants Advocate for the Liberation of Journalists Labeled as Red-list in the 'Bike for Press Freedom' Event
Cyclists Take a Stand for Press Freedom
In the face of ongoing repression against journalists and human rights defenders, several groups and advocates are not backing down. On Sunday, February 7, they banded together to pedal for freedom, demanding the release of two red-tagged media personalities.
The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines, AlterMidya Network, and other media practitioners alike joined forces, turning a bike ride into a powerful statement. The route they chose was significant, passing landmarks that symbolize the government's crackdown on press freedom and dissent.
Exactly a year ago, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, editor of Tacloban-based Eastern Vista, was arrested during a series of operations. She has been imprisoned ever since, facing trumped-up charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives, like many other activists.
The same day in 2020, Manila Today editor Lady Ann Salem was arrested alongside six trade unionists, on similar grounds. A recent ruling by a Mandaluyong court cleared Salem of these charges, deeming the search warrant used in her arrest void. Yet, AlterMidya reports that she continues to be detained.
The bike ride aimed to put a spotlight on these cases, emphasizing the upsurge in attacks on press freedom that have targeted both mainstream and alternative media. AlterMidya stated, "These two arrests based on trumped-up charges are part of the ongoing attacks against the alternative media, as well as the entire sector of media practitioners in the country."
The cycling event started at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman, a significant location due to the recent termination of the UP-Department of National Defense Accord by Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. This move was seen as the latest instalment in the Duterte government's war on dissent.
The cyclists then made their way past the ABS-CBN Compound, which has been under repeated attacks from the President, and recently saw the shelving of a bill seeking to renew the media giant's franchise. The route ended at the Commission on Human Rights, where the groups issued their call: "Free Frenchie Mae! Free Lady Ann! Defend press freedom!"
This is not the first time these organizations have taken a stand. They call on everyone to join them in their fight for truth and justice. Maintaining a free press is crucial for a functioning democracy, and it falls upon each one of us to protect it.
[1] One Free Press Coalition, an international advocacy group dedicated to defending journalists and press freedom worldwide.
- The cyclists' bike ride for press freedom journeyed past the ABS-CBN Compound, which has been under attack from the President, connecting it with the ongoing politics and the general-news surrounding the media giant's franchise issue.
- As the fight for press freedom continues, one general-news story that needs immediate attention is the detention of Lady Ann Salem, even after a Mandaluyong court cleared her of trumped-up charges, reflecting the rising crime-and-justice issues in the country's media sector.
