Policemen accost Super Radyo reporter for live report in Marikina

Four policemen on Thursday confronted Super Radyo dzBB reporter Mark Makalalad over a live video report on Marcos Highway, the journalist said in a post on Facebook.

Makalalad in his post detailed how he had just finished filming a report for Dobol B sa News TV when the cops approached and asked to see his media ID.

“I was doing a live traffic report in Marcos Highway (Marikina area) earlier, when a group of 4 policemen approached me after my report. They asked me, ‘Sir, media ka ba? Patingin ng ID mo?’” Makalalad said on social media.

“They said, ‘Dapat po nagpaalam kayo sa amin na mag-la-live po kayo.’”

Makalalad explained to the policemen that he had never been made to ask permission in his experience of shooting live reports in various locations daily.

“Hindi naman po sir, pero kailangan niyo po ng coordination kasi vinideohan niyo po kami,” the reporter quoted the policemen as saying.

Makalalad said he showed the cops his phone to prove that he did not film them.

“Ito ang argument ko: kunwari ordinary citizen lang ako at naglalalakad at nagvi-video, kunwari, vlogger, kailangan ko rin bang magpaalam sa kanila? Sumagot ‘yung isang pulis, baka kasi sir ‘kalaban ka,’” the reporter said.

“Doon nagpantig ang tenga ko.”

Makalalad said his conversation with the policemen ended peacefully but added, “Permission to seek clearance from police to do live report is never an option.”

Joint Task Force COVID SHIELD chief Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar when asked if there was a directive requiring permission from police prior to shooting live reports told Makalalad, "Walang ganyang instruction, Mark.”

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Brigadier General Bernard Banac said authorities would “seek clarification” from the Marikina Police on why the cops acted so.

“But definitely, we have no policy that requires media to ask prior permission from PNP to do live report in public places,” Banac said.

“The PNP treats media as [an] ally and partner in maintenance of peace and order and will always uphold the freedom of the press,” he added.

Nothing inappropriate

As far as Marikina City Police chief Police Colonel Restituto Arcangel, the security forces did not do anything "inappropriate" when they confronted Makalalad.

In a statement on Friday, Arcangel said two cops and two Marine officers confronted Makalalad because he was not wearing a uniform and identification card to signify that he is a member of the media.

"I don’t think our troops did something inappropriate considering the circumstances. Hindi nila nakilala si Mark Makalalad dahil hindi siya naka-uniform, walang ID," Arcangel said.

Netizens alarmed

Netizens expressed concern that the treatment of Makalalad was a “taste” of the controversial Anti-Terrorism Bill once it is signed into law by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines also slammed the police’s intimidation of Makalalad.

“That policemen could even think anyone on the street, much less a journalist, could be their ‘enemy’ is horrifying. How can we expect them to ‘serve and protect’ a citizenry they view with suspicion?” the group said.  - Julia Maria Ornedo/NB/KBK, GMA News