BY MICHAEL MEDINA
PAGADIAN CITY--Some 45 journalists from this city explored the possibility of adapting coverage in civil liberties after a one day seminar was held for them at Hotel Guillermo last Sunday.
The training was part of the various modules of the “Human Rights Reporting Project in the Philippines,” by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) as partnered by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) and its local chapter based in Pagadian.
The activity was also sponsored by Minda News and the Center Community Journalism and Development and is an intensive reporting and publishing input on extra-judicial killings (EJK) with the initiative to build the capacity of local media in handling human rights information and reports.
EJK, as defined in the training, is the deliberate and unjustified execution of a person perpetrated by persons whose actions are supported by the state or some other official authority but who are acting outside the legal system, shared Paraan to the practicing journalists.
Given by PCIJ Research Director and NUJP national treasurer Rowena Paraan, the training included sessions on human rights standards as well interactions on investigating, news treatments and discussions on media rights like Senate Bill 2150, an Act granting the Right of Reply.
Paraan presented the conditions of journalists and the common challenges they face in the exercise of their freedom and reacquainted ourselves with a review of the theory and definition of human rights and EJK.
Likewise during the workshops, participants identified various factors that hinder the coverage of EJK and the various sources for EJK reports.
At the end of training, the journalists, lead by NUJP-Pagadian President Jong Cadion received their certificates of attendance from Paraan, who was also assisted by NUJP Director Jovencio Godoy Jr. of Ozamiz City.
Cadion, in evaluating the training, commented: “The training was long overdue but the information learned on human rights reporting was very useful in our field as we coverage everyday events and take into account this experience.”
Paraan, in a conversation, said that more modules on reporters’ training on poverty, crime and justice and right to suffrage issues will be given in the near future as a follow up on the EJK seminar.