CEBU CITY—To prove that they were one with the Philippine National Police in its campaign against illegal drugs, 28 local journalists volunteered to undergo a surprise drug test on Monday, but three other colleagues begged off for different reasons.
The journalists, covering the police and defense beats, were at the PNP regional office on Osmeña Boulevard to attend a press conference with Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa after his first command conference here since his appointment as PNP chief.
“We keep on reporting about internal cleansing within the police force as well as the problem on illegal drugs. But how can we inform and educate the public if we ourselves hold questionable integrity?” said Arnold Bustamante, president of the Defense PNP Press Corps.
“Let us show to the public that we are clean and that they can still trust the media,” he said.
Bustamante, a reporter of radio station dyHP, CCTN-47 and SunStar Superbalita, said he presented to police officials the idea of having reporters, photographers and videographers undergo drug tests but that the effort must be voluntary.
He said journalists covering the police beat wanted to prove that they were supporting the PNP’s campaign against drug trafficking and abuse.
Before the 8 a.m. flag ceremony at the PNP regional office, which was attended by Dela Rosa, the reporters were informed about the surprise drug tests after the press conference with the PNP chief. Twenty-eight agreed to it but three declined.
A television reporter said he had to leave after the press conference to put together the story before the 11 a.m. deadline for the afternoon newscast.
A photographer said he was required to attend Mass during his newspaper’s anniversary celebration, while a radio reporter explained that his station needed him for its newscast at noon.
Results of the drug tests will be released today (Tuesday).
Dela Rosa, who supervised the conduct of the drug tests at the media center of the PNP regional office, lauded the local media for setting “a very good example and a valuable gesture so to speak.”
He challenged journalists in other parts of the country, including those covering the PNP main headquarters at Camp Crame in Quezon City, to do the same.
While journalists should be independent from any government entity, including the PNP, Dela Rosa said the fight against illegal drugs involved everyone.
He said the police could not accomplish the task alone but needed the support of all stakeholders, including media.
“You’re expected to be neutral and perhaps some will think you’ll be biased in favor of the police,” he told the journalists. “But if you notice any irregularity involving our policemen, I urge you to write about them or expose them to the public.”
Bustamante encouraged media companies and journalists assigned to other beats to also submit themselves to drug tests to prove that members of the Fourth Estate were not into illegal drugs.