Murdered for telling the truth

OUR FAMILY is incensed by the hasty and crass generalizations made by President-elect Rodrigo Duterte about murdered journalists in the country.

Doc Gerry Ortega was killed for his courage and integrity. He was murdered precisely because he was honorable. He fought for social justice. He stood up against mining in Palawan. He exposed corruption in the provincial government, which included the misuse of billions of pesos from the Malampaya funds.

This kind of Duterte speech is alarming because without due process, it casts absolute judgment on all murdered journalists, including those who were killed for telling the truth.

—MICHAELLA ORTEGA