PNP to continue dialogues with media workers after Percy Lapid slay

Police Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia. (Photo by Jean Mangaluz INQUIRER.net)

MANILA, Philippines –The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday said it will to continue to hold nationwide dialogues with media workers on safety issues following the killing of broadcaster Percival “Percy Lapid” Mabasa.

In a chance interview, Lt. Gen. Rhodel Sermonia, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Deputy Chief for Administration, said the national police will continue the media dialogues that Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. started.

“At hindi lamang dito yung inisyatibo na ginawa ng ating mabuting secretary dito po sa Kampo Krame at gagawin po nating nationwide. Pupuntahan po natin ang mga provincial offices at iba’t-ibang mga region para makasalamuha rin ating mga kaibigan na media,” said Sermonia.

(It is not just here, the initiative that our good secretary did here in Camp Crame, we will make it nationwide. We will go to the provincial offices and different regions to socialize with our friends in the media).

Sermnia assured media workers of the PNP’s best intentions, urging them to ask for police assistance if they feel threatened.

“Napakabuti po bg intention ng mga kapulisan. At of course, the sincerity is always there. Hindi naman po pwede natin sabihan na ngayon lang ang senseridad. Sana mapalakas pa natin ang ating partnership, ugnayan kung baga,” Sermonio said.

(The intentions of the police are very good. And of course, the sincerity is always there. We cannot say that the sincerity is only here now. May our partnership be stronger, in a sense, cooperation).

Abalos earlier said the dialogue between media workers, the PNP, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was supposedly an informal event.

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