By May 3, 2026 | AlterMidya
Altermidya commemorates World Press Freedom Day amid grief and outrage. We condemn the killing and demand justice for our colleague, community journalist RJ Ledesma, and the rest of Negros 19. We also call for the freedom of community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, as well as Marielle Domequil, who remain unjustly imprisoned on baseless charges.
The cases of RJ and Frenchie reflect the harsh reality of press freedom in the Philippines: it continues to be under grave threat, primarily from state forces that regard truth-telling as a crime and critical journalism as an enemy.
Altermidya also stands in solidarity with journalists and media workers across the world who continue to risk their lives in the pursuit of truth and accountability. Worldwide, press freedom is a daily struggle fought by those who expose injustice, hold power to account, and amplify the voices of the marginalized and oppressed. Journalism, especially in places such as Gaza, Iran, Lebanon and even the Philippines, remains among the deadliest professions, where truth-telling can still cost lives, liberty, and safety.
In the Philippines, we journalists continue to face killings, harassment, surveillance, red-tagging, imprisonment, and various forms of intimidation – highlighting the country’s persistent climate of impunity. Despite repeated government promises of protection and justice for journalists, these attacks persist and create an environment where fear and censorship are used as weapons to silence critical reporting.
RJ and Frenchie represent Philippine journalism’s best and brightest. They have exemplified our community journalists’ deepest commitment to truth-telling, public service, and solidarity with the poor and oppressed among our people. It is exactly because they challenge power, question injustice, and refuse silence that they are being attacked. Their experiences reveal how journalism, especially when it sides with the people, is viewed as a threat by those who benefit from repression and disinformation.
The impact of press freedom violations goes far beyond individual journalists like RJ and Frenchie. When journalists are silenced, it is not only their voices that are attacked. The public’s right to know is directly undermined. Every killing, every wrongful imprisonment, every act of harassment sends a chilling message meant to spread fear and normalize censorship and disinformation. It weakens democracy and deprives communities of the information they need to make informed decisions, assert their rights, and take action.
On this World Press Freedom Day, we call for an end to attacks against journalists and media workers. We demand justice for RJ Ledesma and all slain journalists, the immediate release of Frenchie Mae Cumpio and all those unjustly imprisoned for their work and advocacies, and full accountability for perpetrators of press freedom violations. We call on the Marcos Jr. administration to end the criminalization of journalism, stop red-tagging and political persecution, and uphold press freedom as a cornerstone of democracy.
Defending press freedom means defending the people’s right to truth. In a time of deepening repression and disinformation, the struggle for a free press remains inseparable from the broader struggle for justice, accountability, and genuine democracy.#
