Filipino journalist among winners in 2018 Pulitzer Prize for ‘drug war’ report

SILVER AWARDEE. Raffy Lerma’s viral photograph, “Lamentation,” won silver for Best News Photograph. The photo offers a heartbreaking take on the Duterte government’s ruthless war on illegal drugs. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)

A Filipino journalist was among the recipients of this year’s prestigious Pulitzer Prize for reporting on the anti-illegal drugs war campaign of the Duterte administration.

Manuel Mogato and two other colleagues from international news agency Reuters were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. The group was recognized “for relentless reporting that exposed the brutal killing campaign behind Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs.”

Joining Mogato for the award were Clare Baldwin and Andrew R.C. Marshall, investigative team/special correspondents for Reuters.

Mogato is a Reuters political and general news correspondent in Manila for 15 years.

“It was a team effort. Every one in the Manila bureau did their job but it was months of hardwork and I admired the courage, strength, and perseverance of the team to pursue the drugs war story,” Mogato told INQUIRER.net.

The list of winners for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize was released at 3 a.m. Tuesday (local time).

The Pulitzer Prize was also given for 13 other journalism categories, including commentary, criticism, and photography.

The Pulitzer Prize was first awarded to journalist and photographers in 1917 to honor American journalism.            /kga