The Bangsamoro Government has called out media personality Ramon Tulfo over his use of the term “Muslim” in identifying the alleged suspect in the killing of an aviation authority official inn Puerto Princesa City.
In a statement dated February 23 and signed by Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, the Bangsamoro Government expressed “deep concern over the irresponsible use of the term ‘Muslim’ by Tulfo in identifying the alleged suspects in the killing of Joanna Infante.”
The regional government said responsible journalism requires that religion or ethnicity should not be used to identify individuals when it has no relevance to the case.
“Responsible journalism upholds the principle that religion or ethnicity should not be used to identify individuals when it bears no relevance to the matter at hand,” the statement from the chief minister read.
It added that such standards are meant to prevent the reinforcement of harmful stereotypes and to ensure that public discourse remains fair and balanced.
The Bangsamoro Government said it is regrettable that Tulfo has again disregarded ethical considerations in his kind of journalism.
It also noted that as of this writing, his post remains online for public viewing, without any clarification to guide readers who may not fully understand the context.
The Bangsamoro Government said its statement was not meant to divert attention from the killing of Joanna Jonson-Infante, who was shot and killed on February 18.
“Let it be unequivocally clear that the Bangsamoro Government stands firmly with the call for justice for Ms. Infante,” it said.
“The pursuit of justice for the victim must remain paramount and we join all sectors of society in urging that those responsible be identified, prosecuted, and held fully accountable under the law,” it added.
However, it warned that the quest for justice should not come at the expense of fairness and social cohesion.
“Language that unnecessarily associates criminal acts with a religious identity directly reinforces prejudice and discrimination against an entire community,” the statement added.
