Press attacks go beyond violence as journos face intimidation, legal pressure

Press freedom in the Philippines continues to face threats beyond physical attacks, with journalists confronting legal pressure, intimidation, red-tagging, online harassment and other forms of reprisal for their work.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has documented about 260 attacks against the press during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with more than 180 involving the media practitioners from local newspapers and radio stations, alternative media outlets and campus publications. 

The risks are particularly evident among journalists working closely with their communities. RJ Nichole Ledesma, a community journalist, writer and editor of Paghimutad-Negros, was among the 19 people killed during a military operation in Taboso, Negros Occidental, in April.

A fact-finding mission later raised concerns over the circumstances of the said operation, saying the military fired indiscriminately even though soldiers were in a position where they could distinguish who was armed and who was not. The findings described the operation as involving serious violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

Another case is the case of Frenchie Mae Cumpio. Cumpio, a Tacloban-based community journalist, was arrested in February 2020 and spent years in detention. 

They were acquitted of separate charges involving the illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

In an opinion adopted in April 2026, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concluded that the deprivation of liberty of Cumpio, Domequil, and human rights worker Alexander Abinguna was arbitrary and called for their immediate release.

The pressure on the press also persists on campus journalism. 

In August, a Facebook page misusing the name of UPLB Perspective, the official student publication of the University of the Philippines Los Baños, was reported to have red-tagged campus journalists, youth organizations and university officials.

The UPLB Office of the Chancellor, University Student Council, and UPLB Perspective jointly condemned the posts, which portrayed student groups as involved in underground recruitment and insurgent activities.

These threats are significant because press freedom is protected by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. 

Article III, Section 4 of the 1987 Constitution provides that no law shall be passed abridging the freedom of speech, expression or of the press. Section 7 also recognizes the people’s right to information on matters of public concern and access to official records, subject to limitation provided by law

Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution also states that the State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation-building. 

The Commission of Human Rights (CHR), in its statement for National Press Freedom Day on August 30, said press freedom in the Philippines continues to face serious challenges. It cited the country’s 114th ranking out of 180 countries in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index and said the lack of accountability for crimes against the media contributes to a cycle of impunity. 

Its National Inquiry on Red-tagging found journalists and media practitioners among those frequently targeted, particularly over reporting critical of government policies. 

The commission also reiterated its support for the decriminalization of libel and cyberlibel, saying laws and policies should allow journalism to operate without fear of criminalization or undue restrictions.

National Press Freedom Day, observed every 30th of August, comes amid continuing concerns over the safety of journalists and the condition under which they work.

For community and campus journalists, press freedom is not only the right to publish. It also means being able to report on issues affecting the community without facing violence, intimidation, red-tagging, legal pressure to silence their work.