Eastern Police District defends visits to journalists’ homes
FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Eastern Police District (EPD) on Sunday defended its move to visit the homes of journalists in its jurisdiction saying it was only a “manifestation of good intention and genuine concerns” following the murder of veteran broadcaster Percy Lapid in Las Piñas City.
This move by the police, however, drew flak after it unnerved journalists who were visited at their homes by police officers in civilian clothes, supposedly to check on their safety.
The EPD covers the cities of Marikina, Pasig, Mandaluyong, and San Juan,
READ: Cop’s visit to journalist’s home stirs media unease
The EPD in a statement said journalists being visited by police officers at their homes is “a manifestation of good intention and genuine concerns to our Media Friends to ensure their safety and security, after the recent shooting incident involving [a] media personality.”
It added that the police only wants to protect media personalities, as well as guarantee the freedom of the press with “no intentions to offend or dig into their privacy.”
Several media personalities however expressed alarm over what police officers are doing.
One of these media practitioners is GMA’s JP Soriano who shared through Twitter his experience of having been visited at his home by a police officer in civilian clothes. The police officer told Soriano that he was just checking on his security.
Linawin ko lang po na hindi ang intensyong tulungan at proteksyunan kami ng PNP ang naging issue for me, That is something na Ma-Appreciate ko personally, Pero Bakit po sa bahay namin? Paano at saan nila nalaman ang aming home address? at bakit kailangan ako kuhanan? what for?
— JP Soriano (@jpsoriano) October 15, 2022
Soriano in the same thread explained that while he appreciates the police officer’s intention, he questioned why the police officer needed to visit him at home and why his photo had to be taken.
“Linawin ko lang po na hindi ang intensyong tulungan at proteksyunan kami ng PNP ang naging issue for me, That is something na ma-Appreciate ko personally, Pero Bakit po sa bahay namin? Paano at saan nila nalaman ang aming home address? at bakit kailangan ako kuhanan? what for?”
(Let me just clarify that the issue for me is not the intention of the PNP to help and protect us, That is something that I can appreciate personally, But why in our house? How and where did they get our home address? Why was my photo taken?What for?)
1.) Isang nagpakilalang Pulis ang nagpunta sa aking private residence ngayon, nagpakita ng I.D. pero hindi naka uniform, Hinanap ako at maayos namang nagpakilala at sinabing inutusan daw sila ng #PNP para “kamustahin” ang mga journalists at kung may “threat” ba sa amin? @gmanews
— JP Soriano (@jpsoriano) October 15, 2022
Meanwhile, radio commentator David Hallig Oro also shared his own experience after two alleged police officers, both also in plain clothes and on board an unmarked vehicle visited his house unannounced in Quezon City.
Oro wasn’t home so his house helper was the one who talked to the officers. He said the officers were looking for him and asked what time he usually gets home without giving their names and contact numbers.
Just want to acknowledge the latest order from NCRPO Chief PBGEN Jonnel C Estomo to all police commanders in NCR to…
Posted by David Hallig Oro on Saturday, October 15, 2022
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), for its part, said home visits by police officers would only “add to our anxiety as these were done without coordination with newsrooms,” explaining that it also violated their right to privacy.
“Assuming good faith, these meetings and dialogues are best done through newsrooms or through the various press corps, press clubs and journalists’ organizations in the capital,” it said.
[Statement] Unannounced police visits not reassuringWhile the National Capital Region Police Office's statement that…
Posted by National Union of Journalists of the Philippines on Saturday, October 15, 2022
Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo, head of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), earlier apologized for the incidents and ordered all police chiefs, down to the police station level, to stop the home visits.
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