On Sunday, lawmakers demanded an investigation into the police “gesture” of visiting the homes of select media professionals, ostensibly out of concern for their safety and wellbeing.
According to spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo, the Philippine National Police leadership has detached itself from the issue, claiming that the national headquarters did not directly order house visits as part of efforts to protect journalists. Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr., the PNP chief, has also ordered a probe.
“We want to assure everyone, particularly our media practitioners and their families, that the PNP means no harm,” she added.
Considering the murder of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa on October 3 and the online threats against broadcast journalists Ed Lingao and Lourd de Veyra, John Paul “JP” Soriano of GMA News claimed that an officer in plain clothes unexpectedly showed up at his house to “check” on his security and asked if he had received any threats recently in a tweet on Saturday.
A PNP officer who was not in uniform visited the radio station a few days ago asking for Lourdes Escaros, according to dzXL reporter Lourdes Escaros and veteran presenters Noel Alamar and David Oro.
Probe on police media visits sought
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, chief of the PNP National Capital Region Police Office, said the house-to-house contacts were part of the police’s efforts to protect journalists in a statement on Saturday night. He also regretted that initiative to “all our media friends.”
Since then, he has instructed all police chiefs, from the stations on down, to stop making home visits.
Bienvenido Abante, a representative for Manila, and France Castro, a representative for the ACT Teachers party list, ask the House of Representatives to investigate into what they call the PNP’s “overkill” in protecting the media.
Abante claimed on Sunday that the police house visits were in violation of human rights and that they would be distressing for the majority of people.
“Our PNP sometimes engages in overkill. I hope they will make it proper and not make sudden actions. That was alarming,” he said.
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.