The International Anti-Corruption Conference (IACC) held in Lithuania in June 2024 highlighted the role of investigative journalists as well as data scientists and civil society organizations in fighting corruption around the world.
The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) participated in the conference to talk about the Journalists Against Corruption or JAC. PCIJ spearheaded the formation of the network of anti-corruption journalists in southeast Asia who committed to work together to investigate corruption in the region.
The packed four-day conference, the biggest gathering of anti-corruption advocates, featured more than 25 journalists who spoke in various plenary and breakout sessions at the Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre located in the capital city Vilnius.
The conference gathered over 2,000 participants from more than 140 countries, working across a wide range of sectors. The conference featured best practices in addressing pressing global threats which are exacerbated by corruption, and IACC pushed for commitments to uphold integrity to secure a “just, peaceful, and sustainable future for all.”
The conference was organized by the Transparency International.
The conference drafted and released a motion demanding “immediate and unconditional action from governments all over the world, to ensure that journalists, activists, citizens and all those who defend integrity can live free of fear and persecution.”
We demand immediate and unconditional action from governments all over the world, to ensure that journalists, activists, citizens and all those who defend integrity can live free of fear and persecution.
MOTION OF THE 21ST IACC DEFENDING THE DEFENDERS: THE TIME IS NOW
The world’s top investigative journalists attended the conference, including International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) executive director Gerard Ryle who gave a masterclass showcasing the beginnings of the unprecedented collaboration of investigative journalists across the world to produce the “Panama Papers” project.
The “Panama Papers” project involved a massive leak of financial files from the database of one of the biggest offshore law firms in the world, Mossack Fonseca.
Ryle also spoke on the risks and opportunities presented by artificial intelligence in pushing for integrity in the tech sector.
Organizations such as the Pulitzer Center, the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and investigative newsrooms, including the PCIJ, were also present at the conference.
The Philippines’ Rappler and PCIJ were represented at the conference.
Pia Ranada, Rappler’s Senior Reporter and Community Lead, spoke in a plenary session about the challenges confronting investigative journalists in the Philippines. The former Duterte administration filed a string of cases against Rappler in a failed attempt to shut down the organization’s operations.
Rappler led the investigation into Duterte’s violent campaign against illegal drugs. Ranada narrated how advertising revenues went down, impacting the organization’s operations. She highlighted the need for news organizations to explore alternative sources of revenue and the importance of collaboration among newsrooms.
PCIJ Executive Director Carmela Fonbuena said the network of anti-corruption journalists in southeast Asia was created “out of necessity.”
“We have seen an increasingly challenging environment not just for investigative journalists but for freedom of the press in general…. Truly, journalism is one of the most dangerous professions in the world,” she said.
Journalism is one of the most dangerous professions in the world… We formed JAC out of necessity. We are seeing an increasingly challenging environment not just for investigative journalists but for freedom of the press in general.
Carmela fonbuena, pcij executive director
JAC was formed to become a platform for journalists in the region to acquire advanced skills on investigative journalism and receive grants to produce investigative reports.
The breakout session featured JAC and the Pacific Anti-Corruption Journalists Network (PACJN). Both networks were formed in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
Cambodian freelance journalist Mech Dara, among the newest members of JAC, also joined experts from the UNODC to talk about his investigation into online scam operations in southeast Asia.
“Integrity of elections” and campaign finance were highlighted in many breakout sessions. Ritu Sarin of Indian Express shared how electoral bonds became a major concern during the recent elections in her country.
The controversial instrument was initially rolled out to flush out illicit cash and make financing more transparent. But it became a tool for anonymous political donations, she said.
The following investigative journalists spoke in various plenary and breakout sessions:
1. Gerard Ryle, International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
2. Monica Velasquez, La Posta (Ecuador)
3. Mech Dara, Freelance Journalist (Cambodia)
4. Paul Radu, OCCRP
5. Anna Day, reporter and filmmaker
6. Pia Ranada, Rappler (Philippines)
7. Gabriel Labrador, El Faro (El Salvador)
8. Alexandra Gillies, OCCRP
9. Leila Bicakcic, Center for Investigative Reporting
10. Gustavo Falarios, Pulitzer Center
11. Neha Wadeker, multimedia journalist
12. Carmela Fonbuena, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (Philippines)
13. Georgina Kekea, Tuvali News (Solomon Islands)
14. Ritu Sarin, Indian Express
15. Daniela Castro, OCCRP
16. David Ritshier, Center for Investigative Reporting
17. Eleanor Rose, Bureau of Investigative Journalism
18. Maria delos Angeles Ramizer, RIN
19. Tom Stocks, OCCRP
20. Emilia Diaz Struck, Global Investigative Journalism Network
21. Maria Mamedbekova, OCCRP
22. Lila Saul Rodriquez, OCCRP
23. David Gonzales, OCCRP
24. Daniela Castro, OCCPR
25. Andrea Arzaba, Global Investigative Journalism Network
26. Hamadou Tidiane Sy, Ejicom / Ouestaf News
27. Anna Koen’s, Journalismfund Europe
28. Hazel Feigenblatt, Institute for War and Peace Reporting
Visit the IACC wesbite here. — PCIJ.org