Filipino journalists in the crosshairs of anti-terror laws

DW (English)

Two Filipino journalists have been accused of financing terrorism. Rights groups say authorities are weaponizing anti-terror laws against criticism and dissent.

Transcript

00:00We are a proletarian organization from Edmonton.

00:04We were forced to leave the country in 1980.

00:08We were forced to leave the country in 1989.

00:12We were forced to leave the country in 1989.

00:16We were forced to leave the country in 1989.

00:20We were forced to leave the country in 1989.

00:24During those difficult times, I was the one who gave support to rebel groups.

00:30This is the time when I interview environmental organizations

00:36and sources in the Civil Society Organization

00:40to better understand the situation of people in the remote areas

00:44and communities where the remote mining is operating.

00:48And the voices again, jump, jump, Terror Law!

00:52Jump, jump, Terror Law!

00:54Dissent, dissent, freedom!

00:56Dissent, dissent, freedom!

00:58Terror Law!

01:00Terror Law!

01:02We were forced to leave the burning world.

01:06We were forced to leave the community.

01:10Like Frenchie May, I was also a part of the problem of the society.

01:14In those times, I started as a writer and photographer for the Northern Dispatch.

01:20This is a part of the struggle of mining

01:24of the farmers who built barricades to protect their land

01:30and to fight corruption in the field of agriculture.

01:34As a journalist, this is what I said.

01:38This is a threat to us.

01:40This is a threat to the people.

01:42This is unacceptable.

01:44This is unacceptable.

01:46This is unacceptable.

01:48This is unacceptable.

01:52Source of wisdom and strength.

02:00Terrorism laws in the Philippines are very arbitrary,

02:06very draconian in nature,

02:08considering the motivations behind the enactment of these laws,

02:14which I think is ultimately to quell political dissent in the country.

02:20The effect that would impact on their exercise of their fundamental rights,

02:30the right to free expression, the right to freedom of association,

02:36and even the right to information.

02:44So basically, the message here is it's not worth your time,

02:52it's not worth your safety,

02:54it's not worth your livelihood to be doing these kinds of stories.

02:58And that's really not the message that we want to be put out there in the community.

03:14For more UN videos visit www.un.org

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