Inquirer columnist Ma. Ceres Doyo held up a copy of the book, “Press Freedom Under Siege: Reportage that Challenged the Marcos Dictatorship” for journalists during a conference on investigative journalism on May 1. 

Launched in 2019, the book is a “testament to the courage and outrage of the writers who dared, defied and exposed’’ the excesses of the 14-year dictatorial rule of Ferdinand Marcos and his family, his government and trusted men, she said.  

This book is for both journalists and nonjournalists, also for lovers and practitioners of law especially where freedom of the press is concerned.

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“This book is for both journalists and nonjournalists, also for lovers and practitioners of law especially where freedom of the press is concerned,’’ Doyo said, quoting excerpts of the book’s preface that she wrote.

It’s also for the “present and future generations,’’ Doyo said during a breakout session at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism’s third national Investigative Journalism Conference (IJCon) at the Novotel Hotel in Quezon City.

“For them to appreciate the power of the written word and the importance of keeping watch in the night with their lamps trimmed while the battle rages between darkness and light,’’ she added.

In this light, the seasoned journalist shared her  narrative, titled “`Better dead than read’: The years of writing dangerously,” offering a gripping account of the risks and triumphs she and her fellow writers experienced during martial law. 

Her first “high-profile brush’’ with the military came when she was summoned to Camp Aguinaldo in July 1980 over her Panorama article on the murder of Macli-ing Dulag, a tribal chief opposing the construction of Chico Dam in Kalinga.

‘A dam had burst’

To write the story, she traveled to Kalinga and trekked to Macli-ing’s house in Barangay Bugnay, Tinglayan town, and was greeted by the sight of the house’s bullet-riddled “lawanit’’ door.

“In the home of Macli-ing, I saw the blood on the wall and ran my fingers on it. I listened to the people’s stories and took photographs. After that I don’t know what possessed me but I just sat down and wrote. I sent the story and trembled. A dam inside me had burst,’’ she said.

In January 1981, she received the Catholic Mass Media Awards trophy from visiting Pope John Paul II for her Macli-ing story. 

“He held my head with both palms. It was never the same after that. The writing continued,’’ she said. She said her Panorama editor, Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, would call it “suicide journalism.”

Her story on Macli-ing is included in the book, “Press Freedom Under Siege,’’ which won the National Book Awards for Best Book in Journalism. She also edited the book.

‘Writing dangerously’

In 1983, Doyo and fellow writers, Domini Torrevillas, Sheila Coronel, Jo-Ann Maglipon, Lorna Kalaw-Tirol, Niñez Cacho-Olivares, Arlene Babst, Eugenia Apostol and Doris Nuyda were summoned to an interrogation at Camp Aguinaldo.

Obviously, the military and, it goes without saying, the Marcos dictatorship did not like what we were writing.

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“Obviously, the military and, it goes without saying, the Marcos dictatorship did not like what we were writing,’’ she said.

They didn’t leave the interrogation rooms without a list of the names of their interrogators, which became the basis for the case they later filed in the Supreme Court questioning the National Intelligence Board, a body created “to cow’’ writers.

“We won. The respondents said they were done with it anyway. We were front-page news,’’ she said.

Not long after, Doyo and her editor, Torrevillas, were slapped a P10-million libel suit over her Panorama story on military abuses in Bataan province.

The case was dropped after the bloodless people’s revolt that toppled Marcos and catapulted Corazon C. Aquino the presidency in February 1986. 

Since there were stories of other writers who suffered during martial law but were not widely known, Doyo’s group decided to publish two volumes of the “Philippine Press Under Siege,’’ which became the basis of the present book.  

Those were years of writing dangerously, we would say. But, for a good few, fearless writing never really stopped completely during those dangerous times, though much of it done sub rosa or in the so-called ‘mosquito press,’ sometimes called alternative or underground press.

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“Those were years of writing dangerously, we would say. But, for a good few, fearless writing never really stopped completely during those dangerous times, though much of it done sub rosa or in the so-called ‘mosquito press,’ sometimes called alternative or underground press,’’ Doyo said, still quoting from the book’s preface.

“And when that brand of ‘subversive’ writing finally broke into the open, it did so with daring and defiance. Like a swollen river raging to break free, like a boiling sea smashing against boulders. Like a mother in the throes of childbirth, writhing, screaming in pain in order to bring new life.’’

Glamorous? 

In the same session, journalist Arlene Burgos, a prominent figure within the “We Move” consortium advocating for the safety and welfare of women journalists, delivered an address on the pressing issues facing female reporters in today’s media landscape

Drawing from her own experiences and those of her peers, she emphasized the need for greater support and protection for women journalists who often face heightened risks and obstacles in their work.

She  underscored the historical context of gender disparities in the industry, referencing the struggles endured by women journalists during periods of political turmoil, such as the Marcos dictatorship.

She spoke about the solidarity and resilience of female reporters, highlighting the collective efforts of generations past and present to overcome adversity and pave the way for future generations.

There’s an impression that media work is glamorous, but in reality, you’re left to fend for yourself in the most dangerous situation and figure things out.

Arlene Burgos

“There’s an impression that media work is glamorous, but in reality, you’re left to fend for yourself in the most dangerous situation and figure things out,’’ she said.

“Given the challenges that threaten journalism, we thought that women needed help if we were to keep them in our newsrooms.” she said.

To respond to these challenges, she stressed the importance of initiatives in providing support, advocacy, and resources for women journalists.

She highlighted the consortium’s role in drafting resolutions aligned with the Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, a critical step toward ensuring the safety and protection of journalists..

She left the audience with a call to action, urging journalists, editors, newsroom managers and media owners to prioritize gender equality and safety in journalism.

Rowena Paraan, PCIJ training director, echoed Burgos’s sentiments, emphasizing the importance of shared advocacy and solidarity in advancing gender equity in the industry.

“Hindi mo mapagtatagumpayan yung isang bagay kung kayo kayo lang, so the advocacy, yung struggle has to be shared with everybody. Hindi yan aandar kung iilan lang kayo na nagsusulong.” Paraan said. — Hanah Coleen Reformado