Attacks on women journalists covering Duterte’s ICC trial denounced

“These attacks follow a familiar playbook—when powerful men feel threatened by factual reporting, they resort to gendered attacks to discredit women journalists.”

CAGAYAN DE ORO — Journalists’ and women’s groups slammed the recent misogynistic remarks against women journalists covering the development of the case of former President Rodrigo Duterte in The Hague, the Netherlands, after he was arrested by the International Criminal Court.

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television – Philippines stressed that the incident is an attempt to silence journalists from reporting. “As women journalists, we stand together. This must stop. Harassment is not criticism; it is an attempt to silence. And a press under attack is a democracy at risk.”

The group issued the statement after Mariz Umali of GMA News became the subject of criticisms for allegedly saying “matanda” (old) toward former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea while he was on a stretcher. Medialdea accompanied Duterte when he was brought to The Hague on March 11 to face charges of alleged crimes against humanity.

In a Facebook post, Umali said a video was posted by a certain vlogger containing her voice, which went viral. She debunked the claim and clarified that she was being misheard. “My observation was purely about his eyes—how they were initially open but closed upon seeing me during my attempt to interview him.”

Former columnist Ramon Tulfo, brother of Senator Raffy Tulfo, made a vulgar comment on the issue, which was decried by IAWRT Philippines and the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

“Earnest negative feedback and bad faith trolling have become a part of the job, and a part that colleagues have come to expect. Less expected are those from a former colleague that are vulgar, demeaning, and done without proper investigation or even introspection…,” the NUJP said in a statement, emphasizing that Umali already clarified that no disrespect was intended.

“The same cannot be said for Tulfo’s comment, which, aside from being crass, embarrassing, and unbecoming, may lead to more online harassment of Umali,” the union added.

Aside from Umali, the concerned groups also said that Zen Hernandez of ABS-CBN News and Gretchen Ho of News5 who have also been covering Duterte in the Netherlands faced similar attacks online. 

A progressive women’s group expressed strong condemnation of these attacks against women journalists.

“These attacks follow a familiar playbook—when powerful men feel threatened by factual reporting, they resort to gendered attacks to discredit women journalists,” said Gabriela Women’s Party Representative Arlene Brosas in a statement.

Former Kabataan Representative and now Gabriela Women’s Party First Nominee Sarah Elago called out Facebook’s parent company Meta for not moderating and removing misogynistic comments on its platform against women journalists.

She said Facebook’s community standards were not adequate if they cannot be imposed on such abuse faced by women. “When platforms like Facebook allow vile comments threatening women’s safety to remain online despite reports, they become enablers of gender-based violence.”

Journalists, the NUJP said, learned how to cope with this type of harassment, but the group stressed that it should not be normalized.
The Gabriela Women’s Party assured media companies that it is open for collaboration for a comprehensive program that would protect journalists, especially women, against gender-based harassment. (RVO)

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