Although earlier conversations may have portrayed local atrocities as unique

subjects of study, the difficulties faced and currently being faced by the Philippine press
are not extraordinary when viewed from a global perspective. Cases of media
censorship, violations of press freedom, and violence against journalists exist worldwide
if you know where to look. From China and Russia, known for their strict "pro-
communist" media control and "extremism" laws that stifle critical government reporting,
to Turkey and Egypt, known for their governments violating critical journalists and media
outlets with imprisonment and shutdowns, they vary widely in severity and form from
one country to another. In a lengthy roster of such nations, Mexico particularly stands
out as one of the most dangerous countries globally for journalists, with its weak
democratic institutions, morally bankrupt leaders, and cartel-led violence carried out
with impunity.
Numerous instances of journalists being killed in Mexico were reported by the
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). This ongoing issue has persisted for many
years and has a chilling impact on press freedom and investigative journalism. As the
murders commenced, the Mexican government pointed fingers at both the cartels and
the journalists themselves. If a reporter was murdered, it was insinuated that they were
involved in corruption, receiving payments from drug cartels, or had some other sinister
motive for providing favorable coverage (Corcoran, 2022). It was an easy sell,
considering that Mexico had a well-established history of corruption and financial
collaboration with the government and crime organizations within the media industry. No
investigations were conducted into these crimes, and no arrests were made as a result.

Figure 1. Investigators in forensic attire examine the vicinity surrounding the vehicle where
journalist Fredid Román was fatally shot in front of the La Realidad newspaper. Jesus Guerrero,
2022, Photograph, Getty Images. Chilpancingo, Mexico.
As is with every lie, the flaws in their narrative eventually showed. Journalists like
Fredid Román (Figure 1) and Regina Martinez, widely recognized for their impeccable
ethics and courage, even receiving international acclaim, began to be found deceased.
Since Martínez's murder in April 2012, the data from the Committee to Protect
Journalists indicates that a minimum of 86 additional journalists and media
professionals have lost their lives in Mexico, consistently ranking as the highest in the
world (Sherman, 2022). Many of them were local journalists running their own media
platforms with minimal resources, while others were freelance journalists making
contributions in major urban centers like Tijuana. In numerous of these killings, there are
accounts of individuals in official uniforms appearing shortly before the journalist went
missing. Moreover, there have been allegations involving mayors, governors, former
political candidates, retired police officers being apprehended, and public officials going
into hiding (Corcoran, 2022). This implies that the individuals tasked with probing
journalist homicides are the very same ones responsible for killing them. It's no surprise,
then, that these cases remain unsolved, or worse, that innocent individuals are wrongly
accused.

Figure 2. During a demonstration on July 10, 2023, outside the Interior Ministry building, a
woman displayed a photograph of Mexican journalist Luis Martin Sanchez, whose body was
discovered on the outskirts of Tepic City, demanding justice for him. Palomares et al., 2023,
Photograph, Getty Images. Mexico City, Mexico.
The media killings in Mexico just go to show that the first step to manipulating the
population for personal gain is to target the press. This approach proves effective,
particularly in the case of a relatively young democracy where the institutions tasked
with upholding and safeguarding freedom are not yet firmly established. It is through this
calculated political strategy that the Mexican government managed to evolve into a
criminal entity, sometimes cooperating with cartels and utilizing the full spectrum of state
power, including the treasury, law enforcement, the judiciary, and more, to create its own
unlawful ventures. It is through such circumstances that a reporter seeking to expose
the link between the state and the cartel often meets a tragic end.
Considering the abovementioned information and insights, it's not difficult to draw
parallels with the media killings in the Philippines. Similar to Mexico, a substantial
number of Filipino journalists have lost their lives because of their investigative reporting
on corruption, organized crime, drug trafficking, and human rights abuses, particularly
during the tenure of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who assumed office in 2016
(Gavilan, 2022). Reporting on such subjects has led journalists to clash with influential
individuals or organizations who seek to silence them. Both nations also struggle with
significant impunity concerning crime against journalists. Wrongdoers are seldom
brought to justice, fostering an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship among media
practitioners.
Although they share these common elements between the media killings in
Mexico and the Philippines, their contexts, government reactions, political climates, and
regional differences vary significantly. For instance, Mexican journalists specifically face
threats for their work concerning drug cartel violence and political corruption. In
contrast, Filipino journalists are typically targeted for their work concerning contentious
government actions like its controversial war on drugs. Another example can be seen in
the regional dynamics and local power structures involved in these incidents of
journalist fatalities. In Mexico, the level of violence against journalists can fluctuate from
one region to another, typically mirroring the sway of distinct criminal groups. On the
other hand, Philippine media-related killings are more concentrated in areas
characterized by specific political or criminal dynamics.
Despite their disparities, both issues simply demand equal scrutiny and
denunciation from domestic and global entities who are dedicated to safeguarding
journalists. They simply underscore the critical need to protect press freedom and
combat impunity.

REFERENCES:
Corcoran, K. (2022, October 3). The Record-High murders of journalists in Mexico
make me fear for the free press in the
U.S. Time. https://time.com/6218572/mexican-journalists-murders-mexico/
Gavilan, J. (2022, June 28). Six years of blood and violence: People we lost under
Duterte. RAPPLER. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/duterte-
administration-blood-violence-drug-war-lawyers-activists-mayors-vice-mayors-
killed/
Guerrero, J. (2022, August 22). The Record-High murders of journalists in Mexico make
me fear for the free press in the U.S. [Photograph]. Time.
https://time.com/6218572/mexican-journalists-murders-mexico/
Palomares, A., Rincon, G., & Smit, C. (2023, July 19). Mexico's journalists demand
action after latest killings [Photograph]. VOA.
https://www.voanews.com/a/mexico-s-journalists-demand-action-after-latest-
killings-/7187777.html
Sherman, C. (2022, December 17). 2022 has been the deadliest year on record for
Mexican journalists. PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/2022-
has-been-the-deadliest-year-on-record-for-mexican-journalists