‘Martyrs of Press Freedom’ award given to Damalerio and Esperat

Slain journalists Edgar Damalerio and Marlene Esperat have been honored with the “Martyrs of Press Freedom" award by the Titus Brandsma Award-Philippines for Journalism for their dedication to press freedom. Damalerio and Esperat were chosen by the award’s jury of media practitioners, members of the academe and representatives from the Catholic Church from a list of other nominees because they “stood for the truth in times of threats, compromises, despite odds and reprisals from the powers that be." Damalerio was a radio broadcaster for a local station in Zamboanga and managing editor for the local newspaper Zamboanga Scribe. He was gunned down in Pagadian City in May 2002 for his crusade against corruption. Esperat was an investigative journalist who was murdered in her own house in Sultan Kudarat in March 2005 after exposing anomalous transactions in agriculture projects. The biennial award, named after the Catholic priest and journalist Blessed Titus Brandsma, is given to journalists who “demonstrate effective use of media as a means to present the real issues, analyses and solutions confronting the Filipino people." It is the local version of the International Titus Brandsma Award given by the Union Catholique Internationale dela Presse, the world forum of professionals in secular and religious media. The Titus Brandsma award also cited GMANews.TV editor-in-chief and veteran broadcast journalist Howie Severino for Leadership in Journalism. Known for his work in producing television documentaries for GMA 7, Severino was unanimously chosen for his outstanding use of the media to respond to “people’s clamor for truth on issues and concerns affecting them." Newspaper columnist and television host Patricia Evangelista received the Emergent Leadership in Journalism Award from the same group. - ANDREO CALONZO, GMANews.TV