Journalists who attended the recently concluded 15th National Press Congress organized by the Publishers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PAPI) in Dakak, Dapitan City on December 5–7 have condemned the physical assault and continuous detention of Dipolog broadcaster Ryan Uy by the Dapitan City PNP.
In a strongly worded resolution adopted, the media congress delegates deplored the police brutality inflicted on Uy who reportedly earned the ire of the Dipolog City Police for exposing illegal gambling, including widespread betting in unauthorized jai alai tolerated and cuddled by local authorities.
The resolution, presented subsequently to Zamboanga del Norte Gov. Rolando Yebes at his Dipolog City office. Uy’s father Mariano, asked Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Malacanang, the Department of Justice and the Commission on Human Rights to look into Uy’s case and free the broadcaster from illegal police detention.
Mediamen who attended the PAPI National Press Congress in Dakak later assembled and staged a peaceful rally in front of Robredo’s DILG office on December 9, joined by contingents from Dapitan City
The press congress theme actually focused on Re-engineering Tourism and Climate Change initiatives and the resolution demanding justice for Ryan Uy served as a rider to it. The Congress also tackled the suggestion by Atty. Mel "Batas" Mauricio for PAPI to work for the abolition of libel as a crime from our statute books and anyone claiming to have been damaged by any article, column or broadcast of any mediaman should instead file a civil case for damages only.
Mauricio explained the law on libel violates the Constitutional guarantee for a free press. The renowned lawyer also proposed that "the status of a person in authority be conferred on all journalists, so that anyone causing harm to them could be punished with imprisonment of up to 12 years. /MP
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