Police snatches GMA reporter's phone amid commotion at Black Nazarene feast

GMA News reporter Jun Veneracion captured on video a policeman seizing a Black Nazarene devotee along Ayala Bridge on Thursday morning.

In the video, which was aired on "24 Oras," it can be seen that the police rounded up and pushed the devotee to the ground.

Afterwards, Police Brigadier General Nolasco Bathan approached Veneracion and snatched his cellphone then immediately fled, not knowing the video was still on.

At the latter part of the video, a unidentified man said "Burahin mo, burahin mo kuha ni Jun Veneracion. P***** i** nagku-kwan eh."

Veneracion's phone, however, was returned to him after 20 minutes, but the video was already in the "Recently Deleted" album.

Bathan, the chief of the Southern Police District, meanwhile, apologized upon returning the phone to Veneracion and said he did not recognize him.

Bathan also denied he was the one who deleted the video.

In a Facebook post, Veneracion shared his personal account "of an unpleasant encounter with a high-ranking police officer while covering Translacion 2020."

"There are good cops but there some who think they can get away with murder," he said.

Veneracion said he already notified Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año regarding the incident.

Año said he will not let the matter pass and vowed to investigate the incident.

Meanwhile, there is still no information regarding the devotee and the reason he was seized. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News