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'You mess with one, you mess with all': Gov't has pattern of harassing media, journalists say

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/02/17/20200210-quo-warranto-protest.jpg"/><figcaption>Media practitioners and supporters hold a rally at the Boy Scout Circle in Quezon City to denounce Solicitor General Calida&#x27;s filing of a case at the Supreme Court asking for the cancelation of ABS CBN&#x27;s franchise on February 10, 2020. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - The Duterte administration has a pattern of harassing media organizations, journalists said Monday after government&#x27;s top lawyer sought to nullify ABS-CBN Corp&#x27;s franchise.</p><p>The administration has intimidated at least 5 media organizations--the Philippine Daily Inquirer, VERA Files, Rappler, ABS-CBN, and the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, according to PDI columnist John Nery.</p><p>&quot;There’s a pattern of harassment and the pattern is set by the President himself. As far as ABS-CBN is concerned, he has been on the record many times as saying he wants it shut down,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Early Edition.</p><p>&quot;You mess with one, you mess with all. That’s how protection of press freedom works. You don’t need to wait until all are harassed and intimidated,&quot; University of the Philippines journalism professor Danilo Arao added.</p><p>The Solicitor General&#x27;s filing of a quo warranto petition against the franchise of ABS-CBN and one of its subsidiaries is an &quot;issue of press freedom&quot; and government is &quot;weaponizing the law&quot; to close down the network, according to Arao.</p><p>&quot;These are not just mere coincidences and it’s a conscious effort to really suppress the media,&quot; he said.</p><p>Nery noted that Solicitor General Jose Calida was also the one who prompted the Securities and Exchange Commission to look into Rappler&#x27;s Philippine Depository Receipts issued to foreigners.</p><p>&quot;The pattern is much clearer. ABS-CBN is the largest newsroom in the country and more and more journalists realize if you can take down ABS-CBN, you can take down any institution, not just in media,&quot; he said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Brof98T2T8Q?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>Duterte has criticized ABS-CBN for allegedly not airing a campaign ad that he paid for before the 2016 presidential election. Last December, Duterte urged the owners of ABS-CBN to just sell the company.</p><p>The President had also hit <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/16/17/duterte-says-govt-to-sell-mile-long-property">Inquirer</a> and <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/16/18/duterte-slams-rappler-anew-says-it-peddles-fake-news">Rappler</a> for allegedly being biased in its reporting on the administration and called VERA Files founder Ellen Tordesillas a &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/19/duterte-calls-journalist-ellen-tordesillas-a-prostitute-presidents-vulgarity-hit">prostitute</a>.&quot;</p><p>The House of Representatives has &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/12/20/dont-pressure-us-kongresista-may-panawagan-tungkol-sa-abs-cbn-franchise">calendared</a>&quot; the hearing of 11 measures seeking to renew ABS-CBN&#x27;s license to operate, according to Isabela 1st District Rep. Antonio Albano, vice-chair of the chamber&#x27;s committee on legislative franchises.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/15/20/abs-cbn-franchise-bills-not-urgent-house-used-to-multitasking-solon-says">ABS-CBN franchise bills not urgent? House used to multitasking, solon says</a></li></ul><div><em>news.abs-cbn.com is the general news website of ABS-CBN Corp.</em></div>

<p>MANILA - The Duterte administration has a pattern of harassing media organizations, journalists said Monday after government's top lawyer sought to nullify ABS-CBN Corp's franchise.</p>

MANILA - The Duterte administration has a pattern of harassing media organizations, journalists said Monday after government's top lawyer sought to nullify ABS-CBN Corp's franchise.