PNP background checks on journos violate rights — NUJP

MANILA, Philippines — The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines slammed the Philippine National Police for conducting background checks on reporters newly-assigned to cover the organization.

NUJP called the practice of the country’s police force “Gestapo-like.”

Gestapo was Nazi Germany’s feared secret police force whose main purpose was to hunt out those considered who were considered threats.

The group of journalists said the same tactics are applied to activists and those critical of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“The media deserve a more forthright accounting of how and why this fiasco ever came to be, plus an unequivocal pledge to never, ever again resort to such underhanded tactics against journalists,” NUJP said.

It added: “Our right to privacy, communication and free movement are violated. We demand not only an apology but full disclosure of data collected about us.”

According to reports, newly-installed PNP spokesperson Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao admitted that background checks on journalists were regular regular processes. PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa, however, had initially denied these checks.

“While we welcome the assurance of PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao that they have put a stop to the heavy-handed vetting done by agents of what he now acknowledges is the Directorate for Intelligence, we reject his contention that ‘we have no other way to verify’ the identities of reporters fresh to the beat,” NUJP said.

It noted the actions of tracking, approaching or phoning journalists but refusing to themselves and visiting their “not only sow fear but border on the, if they are not actually, criminal.”

“This concern is magnified by the fact that the organization primarily tasked to guard and protect the citizenry cannot even get its act together, with PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa denying the background checks only for Bulalacao to admit them,” NUJP said.