Duterte among world ‘press freedom predators,’ says media watchdog

President Rodrigo Duterte was included by Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders in its 2021 "press freedom predators" list.

RSF on Monday published a gallery of world leaders "who crack down massively on press freedom."

RSF said Duterte's predatory method in the Philippines is by waging "total war" against independent media.

"The executive has enormous power centered on the president. Judges who don’t toe the line are pushed aside. Congress tamely endorses all the president’s decisions," RSF said in its report.

"Backed by most of the private sector, Duterte easily imposes his line on media outlets owned by businessmen that support him. Independent media outlets have assumed the role of opposition, with all the risks that this entails," it added.

'Bereft of merit'

Reacting to this during a press briefing on Tuesday, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the tag is "bereft of merit," adding even the International Criminal Court (ICC), which is planning to probe Duterte over his violent drug war, quotes news outlets critical of government in its reporting on the Philippines

“That is absolutely bereft of merit. Look at the ICC, its sources are media [organizations] critical of government,” Roque said.

Roque was referring to the 52-page report of former ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda asking ICC to probe the Duterte administration’s drug war since there is “reasonable basis to believe that crimes against humanity has been committed in the context of the drug war.”

Duterte's 'arsenal'

According to RSF,  Duterte has an "arsenal" which includes spurious charges of defamation, tax evasion or violation of capital legislation; rescinding broadcast licenses; getting accomplices to buy up media outlets and bring their journalists into line; and using an army of trolls to subject journalists to online harassment.

The media watchdog also said Duterte's "favorite targets" were "the last sources of resistance."

Among those Duterte targeted were the Philippine Daily Inquirer, ABS-CBN, and Rappler, RSF said.

Duterte has accused Rappler of violating the Constitution with foreign ownership which has been denied by Rappler.

Duterte has also said that he will see to it that ABS-CBN will be out by 2020.

Duterte joined 36 other world leaders in the list.

In April, the Philippines dropped two places in RSF's press freedom ranking, as the international organization noted the resurgence of "red-tagging" against individuals and groups.

The Philippines slipped to 138th place out of 180 countries due to “extremely draconian laws or decrees” that supposedly make government criticism a crime.

Roque has earlier said the country's drop in the rankings means little as far as the Palace is concerned.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF/KBK, GMA News