The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines has defended GMA Network’s documentary about the Lumad students who used makeshift schools to study after their school was attacked and closed down by the government.
In their statement which they also posted on Twitter, NUJP said they stand solidly with GMA and Atom Araullo on his i-Witness documentary “i”, saying the government has no right to label the episode as lies just because they do not agree to it.
[Statement] NUJP stands with GMA docu's Lumad story
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines calls out the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict-
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
NUJP also slammed the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for red-tagging journalist Atom Araullo in the guise of some IP leaders statement.
“The NTF-ELCAC should stop attempting to control the narrative by vilifying those that present a contrary view. ‘Ang Iskul Kong Bakwit’ delves into the experience of Lumad studying in makeshift schools in Metro Manila after fleeing their homes in the hinterlands of Mindanao.”
– for its lame attempt to smear GMA's I-Witness and reporter Atom Araullo for an episode that it did not agree with.
The NTF-ELCAC should stop attempting to control the narrative by vilifying those that present a contrary view.
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
"Ang Iskul Kong Bakwit" delves into the experience of lumad studying in makeshift schools in Metro Manila after fleeing their homes in the hinterlands of Mindanao.
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
In the guise of quoting Datu Rico Maca, Indigenous People Mandatory Representative of San Miguel, Surigao del Sur, it passes judgment on the documentary, calling it "replete with gross inaccuracies and outright lies."
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
It also reiterates the claim, which government has used to forcibly shut down lumad schools, that these learning institutions, built by the tribes themselves where once formal education did not exist,-
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
-and run by religious and civil society groups, were "terrorist training camps" where children are supposedly taught to kill.
We will not dispute the NTF-ELCAC's assertions as there is enough reportage and documentation by media and others about these.
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
“We will not dispute the NTF-ELCAC’s assertions as there is enough reportage and documentation by media and others about these. But we do take exception that the NTF-ELCAC has chosen to insinuate that the documentary, by going against its point of view, is somehow supporting the enemy,” the NUJP said.
But we do take exception that the NTF-ELCAC has chosen to insinuate that the documentary, by going against its point of view, is somehow supporting the "enemy."
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
NUJP also said it was the same tactic that the NTF-ELCAC used to intimidate people supporting ABS-CBN franchise renewal, linking them to communists or being supporters of the NPA.
“This is the same incredulous tactic it used to try and link the campaign to support ABS-CBN to the communist insurgency—the same misbegotten logic it uses to red-tag people and organizations, including us, with nothing but, to quote the agency’s own words, ‘gross inaccuracies and outright lies’,” NUJP continued.
This is the same incredulous tactic it used to try and link the campaign to support ABS-CBN to the communist insurgency,-
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
-the same misbegotten logic it uses to red-tag people and organizations, including us, with nothing but, to quote the agency's own words, "gross inaccuracies and outright lies."
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
NUJP also called out NTF-ELCAC for the irony of defending democracy over insurgents while blatantly using their power to stifle the rights to freedom of expression by resorting to red-tagging people with contrary views.
“It is ironic that an agency that professes to defend democracy seeks to stifle freedom of the press and freedom of expression, without which no society can claim to be democratic. We stand solidly behind I-Witness, Mr. Araullo, and Ang Iskul Kong Bakwit,” the NUJP added.
It is ironic that an agency that professes to defend democracy seeks to stifle freedom of the press and freedom of expression, without which no society can claim to be democratic.
— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
We stand solidly behind I-Witness, Mr. Araullo, and "Ang Iskul Kong Bakwit."
National Directorate
+639175155991— NUJP (@nujp) August 19, 2020
