MANILA, Philippines — Police harassed several media photographers, including The Manila Times chief of photographers Rene Dilan, as they were covering an anti-Asean Summit rally near the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City, the venue of the event, on Wednesday.
No one was reported injured in the incident but the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP) denounced it as “a clear violation of press freedom and the constitutional right to gather news."
The PPP demands a swift and transparent PNP investigation to hold the responsible personnel accountable,” the photographers’ union said.
The PPP said it stood in solidarity with Dilan and the other photojournalist attacked, along with all media workers.
“The organization urges law enforcement to strictly respect journalists’ rights and protect their fundamental duty to inform the public without fear or intimidation,” the union said.
In another statement, the Photojournalists Center of the Philippines (PCP) also condemned the attacks.
"Journalists and photojournalists perform a vital public service by documenting events of public interest. They must be allowed to carry out their work without threats, obstruction, or intimidation," the PCP said on Wednesday.
"We call on the authorities to investigate these incidents, hold those responsible accountable, and ensure that all law enforcement personnel uphold and protect the rights of journalists in accordance with the Constitution, existing laws, and international standards on press freedom," they added.
Meanwhile, the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) also condemned the “acts of aggression” against members of the media.
“PTFoMS strongly condemns this act of aggression against members of the press performing their professional duties by covering public demonstrations. Journalists have the right to safely report and document matters of public interest,” the task force said.
“We encourage any member of the press who feels their rights have been violated to come forward and file complaints… We urge authorities to respect and protect the rights and safety of the press, allowing them to perform their duties independently. Any use of force or intimidation against journalists undermines press freedom and the public’s right to information,” it added.
