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Regional forums to be convened on culture of impunity against journalists

The UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines-Communication Committee has commissioned AIJC to conduct regional forums on the culture of impunity in the killing of Filipino journalists.

The forums are part of a comprehensive inquiry using a multidisciplinary approach on the continuing violence against media practitioners.

As of June this year, 139 journalists have been killed since 1986, the year Philippine democracy was restored. Only last November 23, 2009, 32 media persons were massacred in the province of Maguindanao in Mindanao.

AIJC will convene in August and September three forums in the cities of Cebu, General Santos and Pagadian, in collaboration with the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE), Philippines Communication Society (PCS) and Probe Productions.

An initial forum was held in Greenhills, San Juan City in September 2009 attended by 22 resource persons and participants. The proceedings of this forum was published in a booklet issued early 2010.

Outstanding Filipino social scientists who joined the forum were Dr. Clarita Carlos (political science), Dr. Lourdes Carandang (psychology), Dr. Ambeth Ocampo and Dr. Bernardita Churchill (history), Dr. Prospero de Vera (public administration), Dr. Roland Tolentino (communication studies), and Dr. Florangel Rosario Braid, among others.

A follow-up meeting, which was held in October 2009, produced a multidisciplinary research framework-cum-proposal. The proposal was later approved as the proposed Participation Program of the Communication Committee of the UNESCO National Commission to UNESCO Paris.

Outputs of the regional forums will include policy options and action programs for consideration by various sectors such as the justice system (including judiciary, prosecution and police), mass media, education, legislature, civil society organizations, etc.

Invited participants will include local social scientists, representatives of local professional media organizations, and selected journalism and communication teachers from local schools.