BAGUIO CITY: The Philippines remains on the list of “5 Deadliest Countries for Media” in 2013.
Paris-based press freedom watchdog Reporters sans frontières (Reporters Without Borders) in its annual roundup released Wednesday said Syria, Somalia and Pakistan, respectively, remained the three most dangerous countries for journalists. India came in fourth, and the Philippines, fifth.
India and the Philippines, RSF said, replaced Mexico and Brazil, although the number of journalists killed in Brazil (five) was the same as last year. Two journalists were killed in Mexico, while three others disappeared.
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines in November said the country has maintained its tag as “3rd Worst Country For Working Journalists” by the New York-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ).
Since President Benigno Aquino III assumed office in 2010, 19 journalists were killed. Eighty journalists were killed during the Arroyo administration; six under Estrada’s; 11 under Ramos’; and 21 under Cory Aquino.
The RSF Annual Index said the regions with the largest numbers of journalists killed in connection with their work were Asia (with 24) and the Middle East and North Africa (with 23). The number of journalists killed in sub-Saharan Africa fell sharply, from 21 in 2012 to 10 in 2013 – due to the fall in the number of deaths in Somalia (from 18 in 2012 to seven in 2013). Latin America saw a slight fall (from 15 in 2012 to 12 in 2013), the index noted.
The Philippine star
