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| UP professor Clarita Carlos and Rappler logo / compiled photo from Facebook and Politiko |
Manila, Philippines - A political analyst on Saturday said
the press in the country is "too free and almost licentious", a day
after a ranking United States official raised the importance of press freedom
in the Philippines.
"As you can see in all media, in social media, in
print, broadcast, in radio, one can use (say) all sorts of bad things to the
President and other leaders and one does not go to jail. I'm sure they cannot
do that in other countries," says political analyst Clarita Carlos, a
professor at the University of the Philippines faculty.
US State Secretary Michael Pompeo raised on Friday the
importance of protecting the rights and liberties of all Filipinos, which
includes free speech, free press, and due process under the law when he met Foreign
Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. for a bilateral meeting in Manila.
Pompeo was officially welcomed by Locsin for his two-day
visit to the Philippines. He was also welcomed by President Rodrigo Duterte and
several Cabinet officials.
Last month, the US Embassy in Manila also issued a statement
underlining the need for due process on the cyber libel case against Rappler
head Maria Ressa.
Carlos said that Ressa’s case “has little to do with free
press but has a lot to do with the organization.”
“I think you should point that out to foreign people who are
making that kind of remarks,” she said
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