Senate media hits Marcoleta ‘paid hacks’ remark

Members of the Senate media community have pushed back against statements made by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, warning that his characterization of mainstream journalists as “paid hacks” could further damage public confidence in the press and fuel hostility toward media practitioners.

In a statement issued Thursday, Senate reporters and media personnel strongly criticized the senator’s remarks made during proceedings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, calling them an unfounded generalization against journalists carrying out their professional duties.

“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 emphasized that journalists regularly face intimidation, harassment, and security risks while gathering and reporting information for the public. They said broad accusations directed at the press unfairly cast doubt on the integrity of media workers committed to factual and independent reporting.

According to the Senate media, public officials have a responsibility to exercise caution when making allegations, particularly in an environment where misinformation and political divisions continue to challenge informed 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 statement also underscored that journalists are not participants in political rivalries and should not be treated as extensions of any political camp.

“Journalists should never be dragged into the rivalries, feuds, or power struggles of political figures,” the group said.

The Senate media further stressed that the role of the press is to serve the public by pursuing facts, verifying information, and scrutinizing government officials and institutions regardless of political affiliation. It added that media organizations should neither be used as political weapons nor become casualties of partisan conflicts.

While acknowledging that criticism of news coverage is a legitimate part of democratic discourse, the group maintained that serious accusations against journalists must be backed by proof.

“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 statement concluded by reaffirming that the press is neither an adversary of any political faction nor a tool of any political machinery.

“Its allegiance must remain solely to the truth and to the public it serves.”

The Senate media also said journalists deserve neither automatic praise nor baseless attacks, but the freedom to perform their work without being vilified or caught in the middle of political battles.