VILLAR OPPOSES CURTAILMENT OF PRESS FREEDOM

Senator Manny Villar, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Order, condemns the recent attempt to curtail press freedom by setting standards that media should follow so as not to risk raid and eventual takeover similar to the fate of The Daily Tribune over the weekend.

According to Villar, "By its very nature, the media is meant to be an independent entity. Thus, no one can ask the journalists to toe the line and protect certain interests or else. A newspaper, after all, is a public trust."

Villar adds, "If the freedom of the press is suppressed, it is tantamount to violating public trust. The media is there to serve the public freely in a democratic environment."

Authories raided the editorial and circulation offices of The Daily Tribune on Friday (Feb. 24) and even warned other media organizations to follow standards set by the government.

"Its bad enough that our country is now known as one of the most dangerous places for the journalists worldwide with the spate of the media killings and here they are creating another notoriety as suppressors of press freedom," further cites Villar.