No rule against taking photos, videos in public — PNP chief
MANILA, Philippines — Outside cases of national security, members of the public—media or otherwise—are not prohibited from taking photographs or videos in public places, and officers of the national police are reminded to practice maximum tolerance when dealing with anyone doing so, the chief of the Philippine National Police said.
This comes after Super Radyo dzBB reporter Mark Makalalad last week reported that he was accosted and later intimidated by four uniformed officers after taping a live traffic report. One of the men told him: "Baka kasi kalaban ka (You might have been one of the enemy)."
At Monday morning's press briefing, Police Gen. Archie Gamboa, PNP chief, said in a mix of English and Filipino: "I directed the Joint Task Force COVID Shield last week first, let us remind our people when is maximum tolerance [actually] maximum? We should deal with it in every situation, first and foremost."
"We should also remind our personnel just when someone isn't allowed to record a video. That should be clear. The way I see it, if the video isn't involved in national security, which is also very broad actually, and it doesn't violate private rights...then everybody is authorized to get video. So that is the general rule," he added.
Friday's Pride March in Mendiola, Manila also saw police elements attempting to arrest an intern at independent news group Manila Today. This came after 20 protesters were arrested despite holding a peaceful protest and observing social distancing.
Both cases have been condemned by press and media groups and rights organizations. That same day, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines reminded the national police in a statement that there is no law prohibiting anyone from taking photos or videos in public places and of public events.
"Let us not pertain to specific classes or members of society. So if [the video] is not a possible breach of national security and then second, taking it is not violative of private rights, then anybody is allowed to get video, whether he is with the media or not because freedom of expression still exists in the Philippines," Gamboa said.
'Wake up call'
According to Makalalad, the officers told him to ask for permission first before recording videos of the sort in the area, which he questioned.
They then admitted it was not actually an official directive.
After Makalalad's account was shared on social media, Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said: "Definitely, we have no policy that requires media to ask prior permission from PNP to do live report in public places. The PNP treats media as an ally and partner in the maintenance of peace and order and will always uphold the freedom of the press."
The PNP's Directorate for Police Community Relations, though, was careful to point out: "Clearly, that statement is not from the PNP as an organization."
For his part, Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, referred to the incident as a "wake up call again for our personnel on the ground."
Police Col. Restituto Arcangel, chief of Marikina City Police, said in a separate statement that the reporter was simply approached by two cops and two marines so they could ask him who he was and why he was taking pictures of the area where troops were deployed.
"I don’t think our troops did something inappropriate considering the circumstances. They just didn't recognize Mark Makalalad because he wasn't in uniform, didn't have an ID, they didn't see the media mark on his vehicle, and Mark was only using a cellphone and not a usual camera typically used by the media," he said.
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