MANILA, Philippines—It was neither a threat nor a request, but reporters were told to be civil when they cover suspected mass murderer Andal Ampatuan Jr. at his trial beginning Jan. 5 at Camp Crame.

“This is a police camp,” said Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police. “This is not an open area. It’s a secured and controlled environment.”

He said that the PNP would provide “appropriate and substantial” security to Ampatuan at his trial to be conducted by a Quezon City court inside the headquarters of the PNP, as ordered by the Supreme Court

Angry journalists ganged up on Ampatuan on Friday as he was being led out of the Department of Justice compound following his preliminary investigation on 57 counts of murder in connection with the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao.

Struck by a camera

The mayor of Datu Unsay suffered a cut in the forehead after he was struck by a camera.

The massacre victims included at least 30 media people out to cover the filing of the candidacy for governor of Ampatuan’s rival in the May elections.

The incident was the worst single slaughter of media people anywhere in the world, and underlined the Philippines’ reputation as the most deadly place on earth for journalists after war-torn Iraq and Afghanistan.

All told, 90 journalists have been killed in the Philippines since Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo became the President in 2001.

“I am very optimistic that you will be behaving civilly as we are all civil. With you around, we can never go wrong,” Espina said during a briefing about arrangements for the Ampatuan trial.

PNP not very civil

In fact, the PNP has not been very civil to reporters.

On Nov. 29, 2007, some 30 media people were arrested, manacled and brought to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City at the close of a daylong siege of the Peninsula Manila Hotel in Makati City by rebellious soldiers led by Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV and Brig. Gen. Danilo Lim, who had by then surrendered.

The rough treatment of the journalists, who were prevented from doing their job, was unprecedented and came amid protests at a climate of impunity that had resulted in the killings of scores of journalists. The slayings have remained largely unsolved.

Espina said protest rallies, whether against or in support of Ampatuan, inside Camp Crame would not be allowed. Outside the camp, Espina said rallies would be permitted for as long as organizers secure a permit.

“We always should abide by the ‘no permit, no rally’ principle because we should abide by the law. If they have permits, why not. But inside the camp, I don’t think anyone would be permitted to hold a rally. And we will not permit it, of course, because this is a police camp,” Espina said.