De Lima slams police visits to media outfits
Senator Leila de Lima on Tuesday slammed the visits made by local police officials to media outfits “to embark on partnerships with the press.”
She noted that these “visits” did not sit well with journalists as they’ve caught police officers taking photos of their offices and personnel without their consent.
The senator’s statement followed reports that the police allegedly visited SunStar Bacolod on Wednesday to build “a partnership.”
READ: Police visit to Bacolod newspaper office not meant to intimidate — Albayalde
“While engaging stakeholders, such as journalists, is necessary, it should not be used as a pretext to conduct surveillance nor to intimidate reporters,” she said in a dispatch from Camp Crame in Quezon City.
The detained senator advised the Philippine National Police (PNP) or any government agency that if it is “really bent on partnering with the press,” it only needs to respect the rights of the press to “cover and report without any fear of reprisal.”
“There is a reason why media is called the Fourth Estate. It has the mandate to check abuses of those in power by exposing the truth and enabling the public to participate in public discourses,” De Lima said.
“If the government intrudes on this function of journalists, then democracy is in real trouble,” she added.
She also noted that if these police “visits” are coupled with the “red-tagging” of universities and churches critical to the administration, “we see a fresh wave of initiatives towards authoritarian rule.” /ee
