The National Police Commission (National Police Commission) and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) are now barring police officers from red-tagging and threatening journalists.
The Napolcom and the PTFoMS on Friday signed an agreement aimed at protecting media workers’ rights and deterring police officers from threatening or harassing journalists.
‘The use of force against media, red-tagging and issuing statements that place media journalists at risk, and retaliatory actions against media practitioners for critical coverage are no longer allowed,’ Napolcom Vice Chairperson Rafael Calinisan said in his speech after the agreement signing.
‘We will uphold respect and protection for all members of the media,’ he added.
The agreement between Napolcom and PTFoMS provided for a case referral, investigation, and monitoring system for administrative cases filed by media practitioners over alleged rights violations by members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
It also provides for a referral system for protective custody and psychosocial support for complainants, as well as the review of existing PNP rules on media relations.
Whom does the agreement consider as media workers? Quoting the signed memorandum, PTFoMS Director Jose Torres Jr. said, ‘Media workers shall refer to individuals engaged in journalistic activities, including the production and dissemination of information in the public interest through an editorial process.’
‘This includes but is not limited to media educators, reporters, anchor persons, commentators, columnists, opinion writers, campus journalists, and photojournalists,’ he added.
And if police officers violate media workers’ rights anyway? Calinisan said Napolcom can file an administrative case against them for grave misconduct.
‘We will teach our friends from the PNP not to do that to our media practitioners. We will not allow that and we will never allow that,’ the Napolcom vice chairperson added.
The National Press Club joined Napolcom, PTFoMS, and PNP in signing the agreement.
For his part, National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Chairperson Jonathan de Santos welcomed the development.
‘We, of course, welcome closer collaboration between PTFOMS and Napolcom especially on ensuring press freedom and freedom of expression as well as on case referral in cases of potential attacks and violations by police personnel,’ de Santos said in a message to INQUIRER.net later on Friday. ‘We also hope this MOA (memorandum of agreement) will mean better coordination on matters like accreditation of media covering police units and the prohibition on red-tagging,’ he added.