Is the government helpless or

is it behind the assassination of journalists and activists?

Last week, the oft-garrulous and off-target Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzalez did it again.

In response to the human rights commission’s and organizations of journalists’ charge that the Arroyo government is not doing enough to stop the killing of journalists, Secretary Gonzalez recommended that journalists be armed to protect themselves.

As usual he didn’t get it or was he baiting the media practitioners to a corner that the latter cannot contest in the future?

On its face value, the Justice Secretary’s statement is ominous. By his glib reaction, all journalists and media practitioners should be warned that the national government is maintaining it’s “Open Season” policy towards the elimination of legitimate dissent expressed in the media. And the intent clearly is not limited only to removing the avenues for the messages critical of the Arroyo government, but to eliminate those who dare deliver the messages as well.

To suggest that the best solution to the bloody elimination of the voices of dissent is to arm journalists is also an unabashed admission that the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies are no longer capable of protecting the citizenry, much less the targeted militant political activists and journalists. It’s every man for himself.

On the other hand, Mr. Gonzalez who is notorious for making light of violations of human rights and due process in the judicial system, was likely being guile tempting journalists to agree to being armed for in the end, he believes all right-thinking journalists shall have no more reason to gripe when confronted with another dead but armed journalist.

Knowing Mr. Gonzalez’s proclivity to over-simplify issues, he can be expected to turn the table on the journalists’ organizations at the right time claiming the government can no longer be faulted for any killing henceforth since it already did its part by agreeing to arm the journalists. What gobbledygook!

That he even went on to discredit the charges of inaction by government claiming that many of the slain journalists were killed for reasons other than those related to their work, tells us the government is not remotely keen on stopping the carnage. While some journalists may, indeed, have been killed for other reasons, it doesn’t erase the fact that journalists have now become easy prey for corrupt politicians and government bureaucrats.

The SUNDAY PUNCH stands squarely behind the position of  the Philippine Press Institute and the National Union of Journalists – that arming journalists is not the response needed but a government commitment to do all to protect press freedom and providing a safe environment for journalists.

Until we hear of the resolution of all the murders, the blood of the slain journalists and the militant political leaders will remain a big blot on the Arroyo government’s flag.

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