What's happened
Vice President Sara Duterte's recent video threatening President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has drawn parallels to the 2009 Maguindanao massacre, where 58 people, including 32 journalists, were killed. This incident highlights ongoing political violence in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao, and raises concerns about the current political climate.
Why it matters
What the papers say
Ruth Pollard from The Japan Times emphasizes the chilling history of media violence in the Philippines, noting that Duterte's comments could reignite hostilities. She states, 'Many rolled their eyes and prepared for another round of hostilities.' Bloomberg echoes this sentiment, highlighting the ongoing assassinations and kidnappings in the region, reinforcing the narrative of persistent political violence. The media's critical role in addressing these issues is underscored by Rappler's headline, 'Sara Duterte unleashes the Ampatuan within,' which draws direct parallels to the massacre.
How we got here
The Philippines has a history of political violence, notably the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. On November 23, 2024, Vice President Sara Duterte released a video threatening assassination, coinciding with the massacre's anniversary, prompting media scrutiny and public concern.
More on these topics
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The Committee to Protect Journalists is an American independent non-profit, non-governmental organization, based in New York City, New York with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.
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The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands that are broadly categorized under three main geographical divisions from
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The International Federation of Journalists is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. It represents more than 600 000 media workers from 187 organisations in 146 countries.
The IFJ is an associate member of UNES
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Rappler is a Philippine online news website based in Pasig, Manila. It started as a Facebook page named MovePH in August 2011 and later evolved into a complete website on January 1, 2012.
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Rodrigo Roa Duterte KGCR, also known as Digong and Rody, is a Filipino politician who is the 16th and current president of the Philippines and the first from Mindanao to hold the office. He is the chairperson of PDP–Laban, the ruling political party.