MANILA — The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) celebrated a major achievement with the report that no journalists were killed in 2024, marking a significant milestone for the media community.

“This achievement reflects the collective efforts of journalists who continue to defend the truth and protect their ranks from those who oppose it,” said NPC president Leonel Abasola in a news release on Tuesday (18 Feb 2025).

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued the report confirming the absence of media killings in the Philippines last year. Abasola acknowledged that reaching this milestone was a result of hard work, but warned that threats to media workers remain, and the challenge lies in maintaining this progress. He also reminded that several past media killings are still unresolved, with perpetrators at large.

Looking ahead to upcoming elections, Abasola urged journalists to uphold high standards and avoid unethical practices that could make them targets in politically charged environments. He also stressed the importance of keeping media professionals separate from political conflicts to protect their safety.

In addition, Abasola highlighted the NPC’s efforts to organize provincial and regional chapters, helping members across the country understand the importance of their work in society. The NPC, one of the oldest and largest journalist organizations in the Philippines, has established chapters in various regions including Albay, Camarines Sur, and Nueva Ecija, among others.

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MANILA – The Bureau of Immigration (BI) is warning citizens to remain vigilant after recent arrests revealed several foreign nationals suspected of espionage have been residing in the Philippines for years.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado revealed that the suspects, some of whom have been in the country since 2002, held legal statuses while allegedly engaging in suspicious activities.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) uncovered their covert operations.

“These individuals, some holding working visas for companies in San Juan and Manila, and others married to Filipinos, had integrated into society before their activities were detected,” Viado explained in a statement on Sunday (02 Feb 2025).

He called on the public to report any suspicious behavior by foreign nationals, stressing the importance of protecting national security.

Viado added that the DOJ, NBI, and AFP are collaborating to gather further intelligence and prepare legal actions against the suspects’ associates, aiming for maximum penalties.

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By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Like the biblical story of David and Goliath, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has remained undaunted even as it has monitored over 135 Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels in the area of Julian Felipe Reef.

On Sunday, the PCG said in a statement that it first monitored 111 Chinese vessels in the area on November 13. The number later increased to 125, and by December 2, there were over 135 vessels in the area.

“The PCG maintains its unwavering commitment to safeguarding maritime security, safety, and the marine environment in the course of protecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea under international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 Arbitral Award and Philippine domestic laws,” the PCG said in a statement.

It added that the Coast Guard will continue to patrol the West Philippine Sea to protect the territory of the Philippines.

National Security Adviser (NSA) and Chair of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, General Eduardo Año, directed the PCG to carry out maritime patrol in the area.

On Saturday, December 2, PCG Commandant Coast Guard Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, deployed PCG vessels BRP Sindangan and BRP Cabra to the area.

The PCG said it issued radio challenges to the Chinese vessels but ignored and they received no response.

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