PNP Chief Says He Would Have Arrested Photojournalists Himself
By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Police officers found to have violated the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) policy of “maximum tolerance” during the confrontation with two veteran photojournalists in Pasay City could face administrative sanctions, a ranking PNP official said Thursday.
PNP Public Information Office chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the organization has begun investigating the actions of police personnel involved in the July 22 incident outside the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
“We’ll take a look at that,” Co said when asked whether the officers failed to exercise restraint, patience, and courtesy in handling the situation.
According to Co, administrative cases may be filed against any officer found to have violated the PNP’s operational guidelines requiring “maximum tolerance” in dealing with civilians during public assemblies.
The investigation stemmed from a confrontation involving freelance photojournalists Bullit Marquez and Rene Dilan, who were documenting the arrest of protesters when anti-riot police confronted them.
Video footage circulating online showed Marquez being surrounded by police officers while taking photographs. The confrontation reportedly escalated after Marquez allegedly uttered expletives at police personnel, prompting officers to attempt to place him under arrest. Dilan was also caught in the incident.
Meanwhile, PNP chief Gen. Antonio Nartatez Jr. defended the police officers’ actions, saying he himself would have arrested the two photojournalists had he been at the scene.
Nartatez maintained that the intended arrest would not have been because the two were journalists but because of their alleged conduct during the confrontation.
The Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines (PCP) condemned the incident, describing it as harassment and an infringement on press freedom. Several media organizations likewise called for accountability, stressing that journalists covering public events should be allowed to perform their duties without intimidation or interference.
The PNP has yet to release the results of its investigation, which will determine whether the officers involved violated operational procedures and whether disciplinary action will be imposed.
ia/xf
