MEMBERS of the Senate media corps strongly condemned Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday over his sweeping allegation that many in the profession are paid hacks, describing the statement as reckless, unfair, and disrespectful to the risks journalists endure in the line of duty.
The group warned that making broad, unsubstantiated attacks against the media simply for reporting on issues that certain parties may find unfavorable poses a serious threat to press freedom and undermines the vital role of a free press in a democracy.
In a statement, they emphasized that painting the media as partisan or biased solely because it reports uncomfortable facts is not only unjust but dangerous. “Attempts to paint the press as partisan simply because it reports uncomfortable facts are both unfair and dangerous. “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,” they said. They added that regardless of where pressure comes from — whether from those holding power, seeking it, or fighting to keep it — journalists must remain free to follow the facts and report the truth wherever it leads.
The reporters acknowledged that media work is not above criticism, but stressed there is a clear distinction between constructive feedback and the wholesale vilification of an entire profession.
They pointed out that public officials like Marcoleta carry a responsibility when making serious accusations against media practitioners; such claims must be backed by actual evidence rather than inflammatory language that weakens democratic institutions. Without proof, they said, statements like Marcoleta’s erode public trust in legitimate journalism and contribute to an environment of hostility toward reporters.
The group also asserted that the media should never be dragged into the political battles of politicians. “At a time when disinformation and political polarization continue to undermine public discourse, government officials should exercise greater restraint and responsibility in their pronouncements,” they noted. They reiterated that the press is not an enemy of any political faction, nor is it an extension of any political machinery — its only allegiance is to the truth and to the public it serves.
“Journalists deserve neither blind praise nor baseless condemnation, but they do deserve the freedom to report without being branded, bullied or sacrificed in the political battles of others,” they concluded.
