Media Arrests

Before I make my own points about the arrests f my fellow journalists, I would like to share the story that I submitted to the Manila Standard on Monday. Just after we filed the case against Puno, Razon etc. before the Commission on Human Rights.



MST
By joel m. sy egco
Dec. 3, 2007 for Tuesday
#1

The Commission on Human Rights (NPC) will hear en banc on Thursday the
case filed by the National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) against
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Ronaldo Puno
and top Philippine National Police (PNP) officials who allegedly
ordered the "arrest" and "detention" of journalists who covered the
Manila Peninsula siege on November 29.

Acting on the complaint filed by the NPC through its president, Roy
Mabasa, a group of three CHR commissioners- Wilhelm Soriano, Dominador
Clamba and Eligio Mallare- said they will summon Puno, PNP chief
Avelino Razon and National Capital Region POLice Office (NCRPO) chief
Dir. Geary Barias and "those who effected the handcuffing of mediamen"
before bringing them to Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan.

Mabasa, assisted by NPC Vice pres. Benny Antiporda and Dirs. Joel Sy
Egco and Samuel Julian trooped to the CHR main office yesterday to
formally file the Club's three-page complaint.

"This complaint is filed on behalf of the 50 or so print and broadcast
reporters and cameramen/photographers who were handcuffed, tied,
loaded into a bus and detained for no legal and valid reason at the
(NCRPO) in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on the evening of the date
aforementioned," the complaint which Mabasa signed said.

The NPC cited six glaring violations committed by the police, namely:
arbitrary arrest and detention; abusive and inhumane manner in which
the arrests were carried out; violation of Republic Act 7438
concernign the Miranda rights; violation of press freedom under
Article 32 of the Civil Code and Sec. 4 of Article II, or the bills of
rights, of the Constitution: illegal confiscation of videotapes and
cameras in violation of the right against unreasonable searches and
seizures; and grave misconduct and grave abuse of authority and
discretion.

A team of lawyers provided by the NPC headed by its legal counsel
Berteni Causing were expected to meet with the "victims" to secure
their affidavits.

Commissioners Soriano, Calamba and Mallare welcomed the filing of the
charges and vowed to act promptly on it. They said they will wait for
the submission of the affidavits from the so-called Manila Pen media.

"We just hope that they can identify the policemen who tied them up
and hauled them onto the bus. That will make our job easier. All they
have to do is to remember the nameplates of the policemen," Calamba
told newsmen.

Even CHR chairman Purificacion Quisimbing, who is abroad, agreed that
the incident was "embarrassing" for the journalists.

Mabasa and the other NPC officers likewise assured that no political
color will be added to the move, stressing that the Club's only
concern is that "such thing should not happen again."

"It is the hope of the NPC that the resolution of this matter shall
help avoid similar incidents in the future and protect not only
journalists but all citizens against abuse and violation of their
rights," the complaint added.

The CHR officials said they would recommend the filing of charges
against those who would be found to have committed abuse.

"If they would be found to have violated human rights, these policemen
will have a hard time dealing with their promotion or retirement
because they will have to secure clearance from us. If they have a
pending case, how can they be cleared?" one of the CHR commissioners
explained.
END