DE-NORMALIZING ATTACKS: DEFEND THE CAMPUS PRESS!

Educational institutions have long been recognized as bastions of creativity and intellectualism, where free thought is encouraged and ideas are valued However, recent years have witnessed a wave of censorship and oppression of the press, including university newspapers and student publications Despite these challenges, student-run media outlets remain committed to fulfilling their duty of disseminating information and promoting critical thinking. Like their counterparts in the wider media landscape, they continue to play a vital role in shaping public discourse and advancing the cause of free expression

The rise of this issue dated back to a time when the NTF-ELCAC (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) brazenly named anyone who criticized the government as “enemies of the state ”

An accusation that branded progressive groups with terms so outrageous that human rights watchdogs described them as mere plotters to put a muzzle on media entities, including those that reside in universities

In a statement, Dr Lorraine Badoy the agency ’ s then spokesperson was quoted as saying before she stepped down on her role as the new Marcos administration undertook cabinet reshuffles: “No matter how these fronts use the word ‘democracy’, they will never be anything other than what it is they truly are: rotten terrorists and violators of International Humanitarian Laws And communist terrorists don’t get to quote the best of humankind They’re more on the rotten dregs of society ”

These statements aren’t just an attack on our student publications, but also on the entire media institution Destructive statements coming from leading agencies only sullies an important tenet in we ascribe to as a nation: one in which there is penultimate regard for liberty and rights for all

University publications serve as a vehicle for disseminating truthful information to students, which is important given the ongoing constraints that journalists must endure globally today Threats like this are clear violations of press freedom. We work for the benefit of the students, not for our personal advantage