Thumbnail photo: Screengrab from DZRH News video
VERA Files condemns the attempted arrest of photojournalist Alberto “Bullit” Marquez and the harassment of The Manila Times photo editor Rene Dilan by members of the Southern Police District during a protest at the Cultural Center of the Philippines complex near the venue of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
Photojournalists serve the public by documenting events on the ground. Their images provide vital information that strengthens a functioning democracy. They must be protected so they can perform their work without intimidation or interference.
Marquez, a regular VERA Files contributor, said he was photographing police officers trying to pull Muslim protester Amirah Lidasan away from fellow demonstrators when an officer covered his camera.
When Marquez protested, the officer allegedly tried to arrest him, grabbing his left arm, causing him to lose his balance and drop one of his cameras.
ABS-CBN News Online reporter Maria Tan witnessed the incident and shouted, “They are photographers. They are media. Don’t arrest them.”
“She was my savior,” Marquez said.
The Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines condemned the police action, saying: “Any act by law enforcement that prevents members of the press from documenting public assemblies undermines press freedom, the public’s right to information, and the principles of transparency and accountability. The safety and independence of journalists must be respected at all times, including during protests and other high-profile public events.”
The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines noted that the Philippine National Police has pledged to implement the United Nations-initiated Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, which includes protecting journalists.
“Unfortunately, today’s incidents show that elements of the PNP are themselves the perpetrators of attacks,” it said.
VERA Files joins the PCP, NUJP and other media organizations in calling on the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Human Rights to investigate the harassment of journalists during Wednesday’s protest and ensure the safety of members of the press.