MANILA – The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines is holding a nationwide Black Friday campaign to show a solid front against the spate of killings and attacks against journalists.
The Black Friday campaign will also be held in support of protest action on Wednesday organized by the Iloilo Press Club to commemorate the birth anniversary of Graciano Lopez Jaena and condemn the recent killings and attacks against media workers. One of the latest victims of attacks is Iloilo reporter Jonavin Villalba, who survived a slay attempt on December 10.
NUJP members across the country will wear black shirts or ribbons on Friday in their workplaces in solidarity. The media watch dog also urged everyone to change profile (180 x 180 pixels on Facebook) and cover (851 x 315 pixels) pictures to black, and initiate discussions on press freedom over blogs, social media, and news websites.
NUJP chapters will hang black lanterns and hold mobilizations in monuments, parks and other key public places in their respective areas.
Since last month, three journalists were murdered – Joas Dignos in Bukidnon province on November 29; Michael Milo in Surigao del Sur on December 6 and Rogelio Butalid in Tagum City in Davao del Norte on December 11.
Dignos, Milo and Butalid are the 159th, 160th and 161st journalists killed in the line of duty since democracy was supposedly restored in 1986. To date, 21 work-related journalist killings occurred under the presidency of Benigno Aquino III, the worst under any other administration since 1986.
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