Philippines: 15 years after the Ampatuan massacre, RSF urges government to end impunity for crimes against journalists
On the 15th anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre — the deadliest single attack on journalists in world history during which 32 media professionals were killed — Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the government to take decisive action to end impunity for crimes against the press.
23 November 2024 marks the 15th anniversary of the Ampatuan massacre, which claimed the lives of 58 people, including 32 media professionals, making this tragic event the largest massacre of journalists in history. The victims, comprising local and national journalists, were killed in an ambush by around one hundred men in the town of Ampatuan, in the south of the Philippines, as they accompanied the convoy of a political leader.
It took a decade before the first convictions were handed down. To date, 44 perpetrators have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from six years to life, yet 88 other suspects remain at large. This prolonged failure to achieve justice highlights the authorities’ inability to curb violence against journalists. Since the massacre in November 2009, an additional 43 journalists have been killed in the Philippines, making it the most dangerous country for the profession in the Asia-Pacific region.
“It is appalling that, 15 years after this unspeakable massacre, the Philippines is still one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists, with 43 more media professionals murdered since. We stand with the victims’ families, demanding strong action from the Filipino government to end the impunity of both the perpetrators and masterminds of crimes against journalists.
The creation of a Presidential Task Force on Media Safety in 2016 failed to curb this violence and the community of journalists continues to pay a heavy toll. Recent victims include radio host Cresenciano Bunduquin, who was shot dead in May 2023 after receiving death threats, and radio journalist Percy Lapid, who was killed near his home in Manila in October 2022.
RSF is working with the authorities to combat impunity. Shortly before Joel T. Reyes — former governor of Palawan province and alleged mastermind of the 2011 murder of journalist Gerry Ortega — surrendered in September 2024, RSF and the international coalition A Safer World for the Truth shared exclusive information with the Philippine authorities about where Reyes was hiding.
Harassment and legal intimidation
Journalists in the Philippines face not only physical threats but also harassment and legal intimidation. Women journalists are particularly targeted with gender-based violence, including threats of rape, cyberbullying, and doxing (publication of personal information with malicious intent).
Since the restoration of democracy in 1986, the Philippines has been one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists and defenders of press freedom. The archipelago ranks 134th out of 180 countries and territories in RSF's 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
