Members of the Senate media on Thursday denounced Senator Rodante Marcoleta over his claim that many members of the mainstream media are “paid hacks,” saying the sweeping accusation unfairly maligns journalists and undermines public trust in legitimate journalism.
In a statement, the Senate media described Marcoleta’s remark during the Senate Blue Ribbon proceedings as “not only irresponsible” but also a “reckless attack” on an institution vital to a functioning democracy.
“We, the members of the Senate media, condemn in the strongest possible sense the sweeping claim by Sen. Rodante Marcoleta that many members of the mainstream media are nothing more than paid hacks,” the statement read.
The group said the accusation unfairly targets media workers who face intimidation, harassment, and even threats to their lives while informing the public and holding those in power accountable.
It added public officials must exercise greater restraint and responsibility in their statements, particularly at a time when disinformation and political polarization continue to erode public discourse.
“Marcoleta’s accusations against the press, if not supported by evidence, erode public trust in legitimate journalism and contribute to a climate of hostility against media practitioners simply doing their jobs,” the group said.
The Senate media said journalists do not serve politicians, political parties, or competing factions in the country’s political conflicts.
Rather, it said, the Fourth Estate exists to serve the public interest by pursuing facts, verifying information, and scrutinizing those in power without fear or favor.
“Journalists should never be dragged into the rivalries, feuds, or power struggles of political figures,” the group said.
It added the media should neither be weaponized by one political camp against another nor treated as collateral damage in political warfare.
The group said criticism of media coverage is both fair and healthy in a democracy. However, it said public officials who level serious allegations against journalists must present evidence rather than rely on inflammatory rhetoric.
“A free press can only perform its constitutional role when it is allowed to operate independently — free from pressure, threats, intimidation, or political coercion from any side,” it said.
The Senate media likewise stressed that the press is neither the enemy of any political faction nor an extension of any political machinery.
“Its allegiance must remain solely to the truth and to the public it serves,” it said.
The group added that journalists deserve neither blind praise nor baseless condemnation, but rather the freedom to report without being branded, bullied, or sacrificed in the political battles of others. (PNA)