Malacañang on Wednesday shrugged off the report of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) Global Impunity Index (GII) for 2019 — which ranked the Philippines as the fifth most dangerous country for journalist anew.

In a statement, Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) Executive Director Usec. Joel Sy Egco said the ranking of the country owes largely to the still unresolved Ampatuan Massacre case where 58 civilians — including 32 journalists — were killed in what would be known as the single deadliest attack on members of media.

Egco said the latest CPJ report was “expected” and stressed that the massacre case — which is now nearing promulgation — has been keeping the country on the list since 2009.

However, the PTFoMS chief expressed strong confidence that by 2020, the country would be given a much improved ranking.

“The CPJ report is not surprising and was actually expected. In fact, we have been anticipating that because for as long as the massacre case remains in the equation, following the methodology used by CPJ, we shall remain on that list,” Egco said.

“The report covered a ten-year period. That is, from August 2009 up to August this year. The massacre happened in November 2009. With great confidence I could say that either way, once promulgated and the suspects convicted or come the next report period covering August 2010 up to August 2020, the massacre case will be out of the equation. Thus, we are looking at a much better and improved ranking for the Philippines,” he added.

The undersecretary also said that they are clarifying with CPJ some gray areas in their methodology, such as the inclusion in their list of cases that were deemed not related to media work.

Egco stressed that the PTFoMS shall relentlessly act on all cases of violence, threats or murders of media workers as the agency has effectively investigated, monitored and acted on every incident brought to it, including the filing of charges against suspects in both work-related and non-work-related deaths of journalists.