As the campaign period started for the midterm elections, members of the media urged both the national and local government units as well as aspiring candidates to ensure safe and unhampered media coverage.

In a statement, the Movement for Media Safety Philippines stressed that a safe media environment is “crucial to ensuring clean, credible, and orderly elections.”

The group made the statement following the start of the 90-day campaign period for national candidates on 11 February.

“It is in the interest of all stakeholders — from government to candidates to Filipino voters -- to protect the safety and rights of journalists and media workers covering the midterm polls,” it said.

“Attacks on journalists are considered violations of the media’s role under the Fair Election Act or Republic Act 9006, the Omnibus Election Code, or the Revised Penal Code, as the case may be,” it added.

The group also called on members of the media to report any act of threat, harassment, illegal detention, torture, or physical violence during the election coverage to mediasafetyph@gmail.com or to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines Safety Hotline 09602784263.