I timed my walk-jog in UP Diliman this evening to coincide with the Black Friday Press Freedom protest. I missed the first one held in Scout Area last week because I was covering the BSP Bankers Night.

The press has been under heavy attack since Duterte came into power. Incessant attacks on Philippine Daily Inquirer (and its owners) forced the Prietos to sell the opposition paper to businessman Ramon Ang (San Miguel Corp [PSE:SMC] president). Now Rappler is under threat with the revocation of its registration by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). ABS-CBN’s franchise is in danger of being not renewed…because broadcast franchises are hostaged by Congress (really archaic rule, by the way).

We are living in dangerous times. Anyone critical of this administration is being silenced, be it on social media, in mainstream media, or even in the streets of this country.

Everyday is a struggle but we must not lay down our arms. Once we give up, we will let ourselves die a slow and painful death.

Some bankers have asked me what do I think about Rappler’s Philippine Depositary Receipts. As an SEC/PSE reporter, I have my own take on it, which may be separate from the issue on hand. But this does not negate the fact that this administration is out to get us those who criticizes its policies and actions.

I will post later my opinion about the PDRs, which I had first posted on Facebook.