(COURTESY: Senate of the Philippines)
Umalma ang National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) sa naging pahayag ni defense counsel Mark Vinulan na maaaring kasuhan ang mga mamamahayag sa pag-uulat ng suspicious transaction reports (STRs) sa ilalim ng Anti-Money Laundering Act (AMLA).
Sa isang pahayag na inilabas kahapon, October 7, iginiit ng NUJP na hindi dapat gamitin ang AMLA para supilin ang karapatan ng mga mamamahayag na mag-ulat tungkol sa mga maanomalyang transaksyon ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno.
“The right of the public to know and of the press to report on matters of public interest under the Philippine Constitution overrides the interests of public officials whose dealings are under scrutiny in the non-disclosure of these STRs,” saad ng grupo.
Binigyang-diin din ng NUJP ang Section 16 ng AMLA kung saan nakasaad na hindi dapat gamitin ang batas para sa political persecution o harassment.
“We are all too familiar with how the AMLA has been used to silence independent journalists in the Philippines, many of whom remain detained years after the Duterte administration launched its campaign to silence dissenters and rights advocates,” ani nito.
Nauna nang humingi ng paumanhin si Vinluan sa kanyang naging pahayag noong Martes, October 6.
Saad niya, “In any way a different message was indirectly conveyed, I personally apologize and commit to be more circumspect moving forward.”
Para naman sa NUJP, hindi mapipigilan ng anumang paumanhin para sa “unintended intimidation” ang mga mamamahayag sa pag-uulat tungkol sa mga maanomalyang transaksyon at katiwaliang kinasasangkutan ng mga opisyal ng gobyerno.
“Public officials and their lawyers should know better than to wield the AMLA as a threat against journalists simply for doing their jobs,” giit ng unyon.