Press Release
January 14, 2016

Pimentel seeks Senate honors for LJM

Senator Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III filed today Senate Resolution No. 1704 seeking to honor and remember the late Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) editor-in-chief Leticia "Letty" Jimenez-Magsanoc for her "invaluable services to the Filipino people."

Pimentel said that Magsanoc "shall continue her legacy of keeping the fire of freedom of the press burning through all of the journalists she nurtured under her tutelage" as editor of the Inquirer and prior to that as editor of Panorama, the Sunday magazine of the Manila Bulletin.

"She will always be remembered as the fearless journalist who fought for the exercise of free speech regardless of who occupied the highest position of the land.

Her passing is a great loss not only to the bereaved family and the community of journalists but to the entire Filipino nation as well," said Pimentel.

"May we, Filipinos, remember her words, 'only the people can free themselves, the media cannot do it for them,'" added the senator. Pimentel cited in his resolution Magsanoc being cited as one of the 1981 Ten Outstanding Women of the New Society and then, five months after such distinction, she was forced to resign after writing an article perceived as critical of the Martial Law regime.

"This forced resignation caused outrage from members of the media," said Pimentel. "Notable for her role in overthrowing the dictatorship, LJM was named as one of the 60 Asian Heroes in 2006 by Time Magazine. She was also awarded by the University of Missouri with the Honor Medal for Distinguished Service in Journalism." Magsanoc passed away on December 24, 2015, at the age of 74.

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