Order prohibiting release of spot reports not new —PNP spokesman

The Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified Wednesday that it has no new directive prohibiting the release of spot reports to members of the media.

PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said the directive restricting journalists from obtaining spot reports was issued as early as Feb. 18, 2014.

Carlos said the PNP leadership only made a reiteration of the directive so that all police units know how to properly handle documents that have "security classification.”

A Cebu-based daily had reported that media are no longer allowed access to spot reports.

He said police offices are only required to issue press statements and press releases with regards to cases they are handling, but not the spot reports on ongoing criminal investigation.

“Ang nire-release namin sa inyo ay press statements and releases. Now ‘yung question doon sa spot report, if it's part of an ongoing criminal investigation hindi ho dapat 'yan nare-release. So we are again reminding our members down the line maging maingat na, especially to review what is the classification of that particular document that you plan to release,” he said.

Carlos said another basis for not releasing a spot report is if the subject or victim is a minor or female.

He said it would need a court order for such a document to be released, including spot reports about rape cases or if minors are involved.

What the media can freely look at is the police blotter, he said.

He said the police blotter, which is usually readily available at every police station's front desk, is a public document.

In a statement, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines urged the PNP to take back the "illegal order" and said that a sport report is a public document.

Carlos said members of the media can only look at spot reports if details on it have been made public or released through a press statement.

“Yes, it can be done but to give you an actual copy we have to look at our rules, manual, and procedures. Kasi ‘yung getting a copy of the spot report, hindi ho automatic na may kopya kayo,” he said.

Meanwhile, Carlos said journalists can still interview the chief of police, duty designated spokesperson or public information officer,  duty officer, night shift chief, desk officer, and others whom the head of office may authorize to provide the details of a particular criminal case.

Carlos said police officers who just provide spot reports to the media instead of writing press releases are just lazy.

“Yung mga napapansin ho natin, very active [sa] social media,  our personnel [should] be careful in posting photographed copy of documents, classified documents just to inform other members [of the media],” he said.

“Ang sinasabi ho d’yan they have been very accommodating. Sabihin na ho natin may kaunting katamaran when in fact the details of the spot report is included or placed in the press release or news releases. So aaminin natin na ‘yung iba ayaw na hong mag-compose or gumawa ng PR,” he said.

He said some police officers just let the media take a picture of the spot report or document.

“Ang ginagawa ay binibigay at nagiging very accommodating, ‘Sir, paki-picturan ho ‘yung document’ dahil with the good relation, the rapport that has been established [between the police and journalist] with the agreement that is only for reference purposes, hindi mo ipo-post sa social media or ipo-post sa kung saan,” he said. —ALG/KVD, GMA News