Sunday, November 09, 2008 Police blotter 'ban' stays
AFTER assuring Malacañang of a dialogue with the media, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Saturday stood by its new policy limiting media access to the police blotter.
Police Community Relations head Leopoldo Bataoil continued to defend the policy, which he said is meant to "protect" the privacy of women and children.
"There is no change... While it's true it is a public document, we admit that we have to ensure the gathering of information will afford us (compliance with) the norms of society," he said over government-run dzRB radio.
Bataoil also maintained the PNP merely wants to "empower" units in the provinces to speak on incidents that happen there.
"It is a matter of explaining... We had a fellowship with our media friends there was a wider understanding," he said.
For his part, Presidential Management Staff (PMS) chief Cerge Remonde said the assurance made by PNP Chief Jesus Verzosa still did not include recalling the policy.
"I called for a dialogue between the PNP and the media. Verzosa reported to me and told me they are complying with my suggestion. I hope this clears up the issue," he said.
Remonde, however, admitted that access to public documents is a right guaranteed by the Constitution limited by concerns of national security and human rights of the accused and of children and women.
Media groups and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) scored the new policy that requires media practitioners to seek permission from a "pertinent" officer before accessing the contents of a blotter.
The CHR had told the PNP to at least review the said order since a blotter is a public document and limiting access to it will be a violation of the right to information.
"We can give that assurance. Palace officials like Dureza and me are very concerned about this," Remonde said. (JMR/Sunnex)
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