|
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Police back arms for media with condition
"HAVING a firearm is not a guarantee for your safety," reiterated Regional Director Florante Baguio following the call for media to carry arms in order in protect themselves.
The Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) for its part said it is shocked by Malacañang's support for media to arm themselves, saying this is tantamount to surrendering to perpetrators of the killings.
"It is not a deterrent at all to the media killings. Providing arms cannot ensure the safety of the media practitioners," COPC President Uriel Quilinguing said in a TV interview.
And while assuring local media of their support and protection during the recent PNP press corps forum, Baguio explained this would not ensure their personal safety.
Baguio said they will assist media practitioners by issuing recommendations to Camp Crame for permission to use firearms.
"So long as there is certification or they can justify the need for firearms concerning the danger to their safety," Baguio added.
Still Baguio cited the case of one radio commentator who carried a gun during his program yet died when he left the station to go home.
He said the radio commentator managed to fire back at his assailant who waited outside but the former didn't survive the encounter. "This may lead to their own deaths," Baguio said.
Baguio said even officials like him are often exposed to danger despite the presence of their bodyguards.
Earlier, the Palace said it supports the idea of arming media practitioners to protect themselves.
A radio broadcaster in Palawan named Fernando Batul was the latest in a string of casualties of media practitioners.
However, groups like the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) reiterated that both the police and the military should ensure the safety of journalists.
It said arming media represents a failure on the part of the authorities to protect not only media but also the Filipino public.
For his Quilinguing echoed NUJP's view. "For example what can one person do against many gunmen...even a single person can throw a grenade at their house," he said.
The Oro press club president said what it all comes down to is protecting oneself through other means.
"By making that call to arms for media the national government seems to have surrendered the task of protecting the safety not only of media but the Filipinos. There should be no special treatment to media so no exception," he said. (Stephen Capillas with a report from Sun.Star Superbalita)
(May 25, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
SUPERBALITA
|
