Obama, Aquino hold joint press conference. US President Barack Obama answers a reporter’s question during a joint news conference with President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang on Monday, April 28. Obama sat down for talks with Aquino during the last stop in his four-nation Asia tour hours after US and Philippine officials signed a new military pact granting a larger presence for American forces in the country. Reuters/Larry Downing
President Benigno Aquino III on Monday defended his administration against criticisms that it is not addressing the high incidence of journalist killings in the country.
During a joint press conference with US President Barack Obama during the latter’s state visit to the country, Aquino said his administration has set up an inter-agency committee to look into extrajudicial killings and forced disappearances, torture and other grave violations of right to life, liberty, and security of persons.
He said 62 suspected cases of extrajudicial killings have been referred to the committee, but that of the number, only 10 met the criteria of what constitutes extrajudicial killing.
And of the 10 cases, he said, only one happened during his administration.
‘An abundance of criticisms’
Aquino said it is not his administration’s “policy” to silence critics, even journalists.
“All you have to do will be to turn on the TV, the radio or look at any newspaper to find an abundance of criticisms,” he said.
But he said that even killings which happened before his term are being addressed by the current administration.
He specifically cited the Maguindanao massacre, which involves the killing of at least 34 journalists.
“Over a hundred people who have been indicted for this crime and who are undergoing trial,” he said, although noting this doesn’t mean they have stopped investigating others for any potential involvement.
He added that if at times they do not reveal any discoveries by intelligence agencies, they are just being “very sensitive” in case the victims were not killed for reasons relating to their work.
“But having said that, they were killed, that is against the law, the people will have to be found, prosecuted and sent to jail,” he said.
He likewise said they are still working on improving the judicial system, whose speed leaves much to be desired.
According to the group Human Rights Watch, 26 journalists have been killed so far during Aquino’s presidency.
A recent report by international watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists lists the Philippines as the third deadliest country for journalists in the world. — BM, GMA News
