The IFJ supports the demands made by journalists and
media organisations in the Philippines that the Supreme Court (SC) reverse
its October 23 decision which disallows the live broadcast of the Ampatuan
Massacre trial.
On
December 6, the Public Interest Law Center filed a petition on behalf of
organisations including IFJ affiliate, the National Union of Journalists of the
Philippines (NUJP), ABS-CBN, BusinessWorld, Center for Media Freedom and
Responsibility (CMFR), GMA-7, Manila Times, Philippine National Police Press
Corps and TV5, which seeks to compel the Court to reconsider the resolution disallowing
broadcast of the trial - completely overturning the June 2011 decision which had
allowed for partial coverage.
In a motion
filed by Andal Amaptuan Jr, he argued the right of the accused should be
considered above the public right to know. The petitioners argued, that "the
right of an accused to fair trial is not incompatible to right to free
press", and widespread publicity through live media coverage therefore
does not in itself violate the right of the accused to a fair trial. They have
called for the SC to sit down with media groups and journalists to draft
guidelines for live media coverage as had been done following the partial
allowance of coverage in June 2011.
Through
the new resolution, the SC has directed that the proceedings be filmed using
closed-circuit television (CCTV) and transmitted real-time to viewing areas in
courts nearest to families of the massacre victims. The petitioners have called
this an “unsatisfactory compromise” that “delimits the viewing possibilities to
those who have the time and opportunity to go to the designated courts where
CCTVs have been placed", and could in turn disenfranchise the public.
Media
organizations have been pushing for live coverage of the case proceedings of
the Maguindanao Massacre, where 32 of the 58 victims are journalists and media
workers.
The IFJ calls for the decision to be revised and allow for the
broadcast of the trial to help ensure transparency in the proceedings. “Three
years after the worst atrocity ever committed against media workers, the
victims’ families, colleagues and defenders of press freedom must have their
rights and the right of the public to view the trial upheld.” IFJ
Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.
For further
information contact IFJ Asia-Pacific on +612 9333 0918
The IFJ
represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries
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