(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is most concerned about the ongoing advertising boycott of the “Philippine Daily Inquirer”, allegedly initiated by President Joseph Estrada’s administration. **Updates IFEX alerts of 4 August and 22 July 1999** IPI is informed that in July 1999 a number of Philippine movie producers withdrew their advertisements from the “Inquirer”, the largest-circulation paper […]
(IPI/IFEX) – IPI is most concerned about the ongoing advertising boycott of
the “Philippine Daily Inquirer”, allegedly initiated by President Joseph
Estrada’s administration.
**Updates IFEX alerts of 4 August and 22 July 1999**
IPI is informed that in July 1999 a number of Philippine movie producers
withdrew their advertisements from the “Inquirer”, the largest-circulation
paper in the country. They were quoted as saying that in a meeting on 8 July
the president had asked them to withdraw their advertisements from the paper
in return for tax breaks for their industry.
Also in July, the Metro Pacific Group, which includes the Philippine Long
Distance Telephone Co., Smart, Piltel, and the Port Bonifacio Development
Corp., cancelled its advertising in the “Inquirer”. The Metro Pacific Group
is controlled by Manuel Pangilinan, who reportedly has close connections to
President Estrada’s administration.
IPI understands that three large government institutions, the Land Bank, the
Philippine National Bank and the Social Security System, have also withdrawn
their ads from the newspaper.
These advertising boycotts, which appear to be a response to a number of
critical articles in the “Inquirer” about the president’s family, friends
and administration officials, are only the most recent actions in what is
regarded by many journalists as a campaign of economic intimidation and
harassment against critical newspapers in general and the “Inquirer” in
particular. In April, journalists at the “Inquirer” claimed that they had
been pressured by the presidential palace to downplay a story on a textbook
purchasing scandal, while two “Inquirer” reporters were barred from
presidential press briefings on several occasions in July. In June, the
president announced that he would no longer field questions from print
reporters, preferring instead to speak exclusively via television and radio.
IPI believes that these actions represent a serious threat to press freedom
in The Philippines, a country which has had until now perhaps the freest
press in Asia.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to the president:
advertising
boycott of the “Inquirer” and to do everything in his power to ensure an
immediate and unconditional end to the boycott
dealings with the media
Appeals To
His Excellency Joseph Estrada
President
Malacañang Palace
Manila, Philippines
Fax: +11 63 2 735 6152
E-mail: erap@erap.com
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
