Fortun cites lapses on news coverage of crime scenes

"ARE you an asset or a liability?" Renowned forensic pathologist Racquel Fortun posed this question to the media and policemen in yesterday's lecture and forum on Philippine media's coverage of crime scene investigation, which greatly affect the way a particular case develops.

Fortun carried the discussion in an enjoyable yet stinging way as she highlighted what she observed are the lapses the media commit in covering crime investigations and the manner by which the police deal with the media during these scenarios.

Compared to developed countries, the Philippines still has a lot to learn about crime scene investigations, Fortun said.

Showing pictures from national broadsheets, Fortun presented examples of lapses where mediamen, especially photographers, getting very close to crime scenes.

Fortun said trained policemen should not have allowed this to happen. The presence of people including mediamen getting closer to crime scenes would potentially muddle any physical evidence present in the perimeter of the crime.

The reasons why a police line is set around a crime scene are to protect and preserve evidences, Fortun said. She expressed disappointment however that here in the Philippines the police line is not reportedly respected.

Authorities in First World countries strictly implement rules on media coverage and photojournalists are disallowed to go near a crime scene prompting television crew to resort to using a helicopter just to take footages of scenes they could not capture on land, said Fortun.

Fortun also cited the gory pictures published on newspapers showing blood and victims of crimes and accidents. This desynthesizes the public that gets the impression that violence is a common occurrence. "Bodies, evidences, and the accused are not props," Fortun said.

On the giving of information to the media, Fortun emphasized several risks especially pretrial disclosures, which include the possibility of a plea of guilty to the offense charge and the credibility or anticipated testimony of the accused.

Fortun said that while the police could partly be blamed by the presence of media in crime scenes, the media should not also abuse its freedom by publishing insensible stories and pictures. - Joeberth M. Ocao