PNP deploys personnel to presidential task force on media security

PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco gives a Plaque of Appreciation to PSPG chief PCSupt. Filmore Escobal in Camp Crame, Quezon City. PHOTO by Daphne Galvez/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Recognizing that the election season is a very dangerous time for journalists, a Philippine National Police (PNP) unit has assigned personnel to a presidential task force for media security.

The PNP Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) turned over 21 personnel to the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) on Wednesday.“

This is election season, and we observed that every election season is most risky for media workers, for journalists nationwide,” PTFoMS Executive Director Undersecretary Joel Sy Egco said in a press conference.“

Through the years, talagang may data kami, nagsspike yung violence against media workers during elections, so this is very timely,” he added.

(Through the years, we have data showing that there is a spike in violence against media workers during elections, so this is very timely.)

Egco said the policemen, who they will be called “special agents” of the task force, would be tasked to providing security to journalists and investigate threats and killings of media workers.“

They go around the country, we send them all over the country, conducting discreet investigations, hinuhukay natin yung mga death cases (we probe death cases), all cases. So we call them special agents,” Egco said.

Egco said the PTFoMS is handling 170 cases of media killings from 1986 up to the present, and they are monitoring 12 threats to journalists since 2017.

He did not provide statistical data on the violence against media workers. However, Egco cited three major reasons why it spikes during elections: dirty politics, the existence of crime and corruption, and vulnerability of the sector.

He then urged journalists to be vigilant and to adhere to their ethical standards.

“Ang panawagan natin ay maging vigilant lang (We are calling for vigilance) and stick to the highest ethical standard of the profession,” Egco said. /ee