CEBU CITY – The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Central Visayas renewed its commitment to uphold press freedom as it also recognized the role of the media in providing the public with relevant information about peace and security.
Lt. Col. Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson for the Police Regional
Office-7, said the regional office has been considering entering into a
partnership with the members of the press while fulfilling their mission to
disseminate information concerning peace and order.
Pelare was among the guest speakers in the forum on the state of
local news at the Marcelo Fernan Press Center on the occasion of the Press
Freedom Week celebration that also coincided with the commemoration of the
Martial Law declaration.
The event, organized by the Cebu Citizens Press Council headed by
lawyer-journalist Pacheco Seares, was attended by editors, reporters,
broadcasters, and students of journalism, mass communications, and development
communications in different universities in Cebu.
According to Seares, the PNP issued a policy on media relations on
September 11 outlining parameters for media coverage, which is due for
implementation. Among the salient features of the policy is the accreditation
of journalists covering police affairs, he said.
"If enforced, there will be data that will not be allowed to
(be) revealed in public," he said. He also cited the rights of the
suspects, witnesses, and victims of certain crimes that need to be respected,
adding that even parading suspects during press conferences are no longer
allowed.
Pelare, however, said it has been the policy of the PRO-7 chief to
assist legitimate media practitioners in fulfilling their duty to the public to
give fair and truthful reports on news that concerns the community. “We have no
problems with the Cebu media. We have a vibrant relationship with the police
beats,” Pelare said, citing the Cebu Federation of Beat Journalists headed by
Arnold Bustamante, a reporter for Radio Mindanao Network’s dyHP.
Lawyer Elias Espinoza, chairperson of the Cebu Media Legal Aid,
who was also one of the forum panelists, prodded the Cebu media that respecting
the duties and responsibilities of the police officers would gain more favor
than becoming isolated from having news sources within the PNP organization.
Lawyer Michael Francis Hubahib, president of the Integrated Bar of
the Philippines - Cebu Chapter, who also sat in the forum as a panelist,
suggested a clear-cut policy on media coverage to avoid misunderstanding
between the police officers and the journalists. (John Rey Saavedra)
No comments:
Post a Comment