Journalists Urge Supreme Court To Reconsider Trial Broadcast

Media Release: Philippines

December 7, 2012

Journalists Urge Supreme Court To Reconsider Allowing Live Broadcast Of Ampatuan Massacre Trial

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.

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 131 countries

Find the IFJ on Twitter: @ifjasiapacific

Find the IFJ on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFJAsiaPacific

ENDS

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