PNP CHIEF Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr has ordered a probe on the visit of a policeman, in civilian clothes, on the residence of a television reporter in Marikina City reportedly to check on the media man’s safety.
The incident has prompted statements of concern from media groups.
PNP spokesman Col. Jean Fajardo yesterday said Azurin ordered the probe after the police force saw lapses in the implementation of orders which were meant to ensure the security of media practitioners after the killing of radio broadcaster Percival Mabasa, also known as Percy Lapid.
Lapid by shot dead by two unidentified men in Las Piñas City on October 3. A combined reward of P6.5 million is being offered for information that would lead to the solution of the case.
After Mabasa’s killing, the PNP leadership ordered police units to coordinate with media practitioners and inquire about possible threats on their life to prevent another killing.
On Saturday, GMA TV reporter JP Soriano said a policeman, who was not in uniform, went to his residence in Marikina City to check if there is a threat on his life. He said the policeman introduced himself as a PNP member and even showed his identification card.
Soriano said the policeman said he was acting on the orders of the PNP to check on the condition of journalists after Mabasa’s killing. He said he told the policemen there is no threat on his life.
Soriano said he “politely declined” a request of the policeman to take a picture of him for documentation. Soriano said the policeman later left.
Soriano expressed disappointment over the action of the PNP. He said that while he appreciates the PNP’s intention to ensure the protection of media men, the visit should have been made at his office and not his house.
Broadcaster David Oro on Saturday said policemen in civilian clothes and unmarked vehicle visited his house twice last week, and asked their house help what time he arrives home. He said he has reported the incident to the Quezon City police.
LAPSES
Fajardo said, “Because we saw lapses and shortcomings, no less than our chief PNP ordered an investigation and inquiry why this happened.”
Fajardo said the policeman should have been in uniform when he visited the place of Soriano.
Also, she said the policeman should have first coordinated with barangay officials before paying Soriano a visit.
“Definitely, something was wrong with the procedure. The intention may be good but they should have made coordination with the barangay, should have requested to be accompanied by barangay (personnel), or called the attention of the barangay first,” said Fajardo.
Fajardo said there was “no instruction” from the PNP national headquarters in Camp Crame or from Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, chief of the National Capital Region Police (NCRPO), to conduct house-to-house visits.
“There is no order from the national headquarters at Camp Crame relating to such the visit, even at the level of the regional director of NCRPO, there was no instruction or directive to conduct house-to-house visitation at the residence of media practitioners,” sad Fajardo.
Fajardo said a station commander of the Marikina City PNP may have misinterpreted the earlier director of PNP leaders to coordinate with media practitioners to ensure their safety.
She expressed belief the “eagerness” of the station commander to comply with the directive of the PNP leadership to reach out to journalists prompted the visit to Soriano’s residence.
“We want to assure everyone, particularly the media practitioners and their family, that the PNP mean no harm,” said Fajardo, vowing the PNP will address any lapses related to the incident.
He said the NCRPO was due to hold a meeting later yesterday to discuss the matter and come up with ways how to coordinate with journalists to ensure their safety.
Estomo has already apologized to members of the media for the conduct of the policeman who visited Soriano’s house. He said the intention was good but this unfortunately caused “undue alarm and fear.”
Estomo said he has ordered all commanders, from district commanders to the chiefs of police and station commanders “to stop and refrain from doing the same.”
PERSONAL INFO
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian while the intention of the visit was good, the police should have first coordinated with media organizations so it can inform its members beforehand of the visitations.
Gatchalian also told radio dzBB that policemen conducting house visits should been in uniform.
Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada said the PNP should explain the policeman who visited Soriano’s house was in civilian clothes.
“And the most glaring of all, how could they get hold of very personal and sensitive information such as a home address of a journalist?” Estrada said in a statement.
He said cops as law enforcers should have known better how to implement laws since the PNP, he added, “clearly violated the Data Privacy Act” and it should be held accountable for this.
House deputy minority leader
HOUSE INQUIRY
Rep. France Castro (PL, Alliance of Concerned Teachers) has called for a congressional inquiry into the home visits
Castro drew parallels between Soriano’s case and the experience of schoolteachers who reported similar home visits followed by red-tagging.
She said that in Masbate province, teachers who attend an ACT event are subjected to home visits and questioning by Army personnel and told to stay away from ACT.
She said the visits cause anxiety to teachers and journalists alike because the questions tend to take the form of profiling.
She also related a visit by barangay officials at the residence of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes last month requesting for his personal details.
“The problem with these supposed ‘visits’ though are they are not mere visits because by doing so they are illegally accessing and/or disclosing and/or using personal information, including sensitive personal information like residence and political leanings, perceived or actual, of the people they are supposedly ‘visiting,’” she added.
“We think this has to be investigated by Congress. It should not be taken as an isolated incident and be viewed on the wider perspective of media harassment, red tagging and extra-judicial killings,” Castro said. — With Raymond Africa and Peter Tabingo
