Even the ‘most disciplined city’ is not safe for journalists.

For a city named as the “most disciplined city,” ironically, Davao City is also the land of the infamous political dynasty of the Dutertes, whose discipline has kept the press anything but free.

Considering it as the land of Dutertes, Davao is home to red-tagging, fake news, and troll farms. Oftentimes, the city is left out of major events such as rallies, behind all current news, and is stuck in a timeline where the Dutertes still hold the regime. 

“Shot” Down

Being a journalist comes with responsibilities and consequences. For instance, the recent shutdown of PRIMUM, the official publication of the University of Mindanao, was a testament of this as they were quickly closed down when they released an article targeting the Marcos and Duterte families.

Another incident goes way back to April 5, 2002, wherein a 22-year-old journalist and activist from Ateneo de Davao, Benjaline “Beng” Hernandez, was brutally killed while preparing to eat lunch at a small hut. Regardless of pleading, she was shot at close range alongside three farmers.

Atenews is also prone to red-tagging and getting doxxed by pro-Duterte profiles. Last March 2025, the university President Fr. Karel San Juan, SJ, released a public statement defending and calling out the harassment made by the Duterte supporters. As a result, the university student council and various publication alliances called out that redtagging has “no place in a community dedicated to truth, justice, and intellectual integrity”.

BARRED-o from Public
Even the public school teachers’ union, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), isn’t safe from this viciousness. Pilar Barredo, ACT’s Secretary General, was featured in posters in July 2020 as a “wanted” recruiter and later labeled “Wanted: Dead or Alive” in 2022.

ACT was red-tagged and called “liars, terrorists, and sympathizers of terrorist groups” by Vice President Sara Duterte through Instagram. Being said by a public figure with die-hard fanatics,  those who support the dynasty will undeniably have the same stance and comments towards the accused. 

Incidents like these raise more than just public awareness, but the reality of how fanaticism became a trend to Davaoeños and shaped how they think as individuals. Nonetheless, Barredo stated she will continue despite the mental and economic drift caused by the circumstance.

Free-DOOM

Under the Duterte administration, 12 out of 24 journalists were already killed in a short time from July 1, 2016, to October 31, 2018, the most violent phase of the drug war:

• Suan, Apolinario
• Briones, Joaquin
• Sestoso, Edmund
• Que, Larry
• Alicaway, Rudy
• Matas, Carlos
• Contraoi, Mario
• Diaz, Leo
• Denora, Dennis
• Muyco, Marlon
• Lozada, Chris
• Llana, Joey

These are the people who serve as proof of the dynastic and “angas” politics tied down to the Dutertes. The approach often associated with them highlights rage, arrogance, and violent language being used when projecting strength — showing a “tough-guy” demeanor. But what good can this manner bring if you’re killing your own people?

Duterte’s ‘not-so’ free press is not only in Davao but also in the entire Philippines. ABS-CBN was forced to shut down after receiving threats from former president Rodrigo Duterte over alleged unfair reporting. One day after the broadcasting station’s 25-year franchise expired, on May 5, 2020, the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered it to shut down. As a result, in July 2020, the committee on the House of Representatives — which had significant influence from allies of the former president, denied renewal for the exact reason, leading to permanent closure.

Fanaticism? Or Fatali-cism

Fanaticism is not new. We should take into account the times where journalists were forced to stay behind shadows, scared to fight, and felt mentally distraught from threats of redtagging. Dutertes may always hold the power but journalists can overpower them through fighting back. 

Getting blinded by the fantasy of the Duterte supremacy whenever they do something bare minimum shows how the propaganda has eaten the ability to think critically, despite many being targeted and killed for the community. 

In Davao City, you can be an anti of every public persona, except the one they worship.