DAVAO CITY – A nationwide network of independent media organizations, AlterMidya denounced today, April 4 “police intimidation and attempts to suppress information” by preventing journalists from covering the violent dispersal of the farmers’ rally in Kidapawan City on April 1.
On Friday, Davao Today correspondent Danilda Fusilero was handcuffed by two police officers together with her husband and they were accused of being members of the protesters.
Fusilero showed her press identification card to the police who kept on insisting that they were one of the protesters. A former official of the government who saw what happened vouched for Fusilero’s identity before they were released.
In a statement on Saturday, April 2 the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also condemned Fusilero’s arrest.
The NUJP also condemned the Philippine National Police for the injury suffered by Kilab Multimedia cameraperson Jaja Necosia. Necosia was hit by a rock in the torso while taking photos of the advancing police line.
“Fusilero and Necosia were where they should be, covering the events since March 30 until yesterday’s carnage. It is the responsibility of the PNP to ensure their safety as they do their job as journalists,” said Ryan Rosauro, NUJP chairperson.
AlterMidya said the police even denied entry to reporters who have already registered at the police checkpoint set up outside the Spottswood United Methodist Center where the farmers and their supporters retreated after the dispersal.
“Setting up a checkpoint arbitrarily is already questionable, but preventing journalists from covering an issue of public concern and requiring them to register with the police before entering the church compound is even more reprehensible,” said AlterMidya citing a report from a staff of Resource Center for People’s Advocacies in Southern Mindanao, a radio production center.
AlterMidya said the media were also prevented from interviewing those victims of the dispersal who were in police custody.
“Hospital officials reportedly informed the media that there were “orders from the police and municipal government” not to allow reporters to interview the victims. The police also refused to provide information on one of the dead victims, whose body was held by the police for autopsy and whom they claimed tested positive for powder burns using an outdated paraffin test,” it said.
On Saturday afternoon, reporters of 783 Radyo ni Juan were harassed by policemen deployed near the Spottswood Methodist Center. Policemen sang “One (Juan) Radio, one month na lang mo.” (One Radio, you’ve only got one month left.)
“Security forces have been subjecting journalists to more and more violence when covering protests, putting in jeopardy their safety and the media’s critical role in gathering information on matters of public concern,” the group said.
“AlterMidya is calling for an immediate and impartial investigation into both the violence the police unleashed against the farmer-protesters and media, as well as to stop the continuing and worsening harassment and attacks against the demonstrators and our fellow media practitioners. We also urge all journalists and journalist groups, media advocacy organizations, and press freedom advocates to defend the Constitutional right of the press to provide the public the information on political, social and other issues that it urgently needs,” it added. (davaotoday.com)
