The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines strongly condemns the Quezon City Police’s use of violence against Bulatlat Reporter Ernest Cruz during a protest led by farmer groups at the Department of Agrarian Reform’s Central Office on Monday, October 19.

Cruz was among other media workers who covered the protest. In a video from the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, Cruz can be heard shouting “Taga-Media ako” while showing his ID to police personnel. Yet, during the incident, police were still using force in an attempt to restrain Cruz.

A campus journalist from Far Eastern University and Tudla correspondent, Robie Matias, was also injured after he was caught in the middle of a standoff between protesters and police. In a comment on a video of the incident posted by Matanglawin Ateneo, Matias said that police officers deliberately stepped on him.

This is not the first time the Philippine National Police (PNP) has resorted to violence in dealing with members of the media.

• During the September 21, 2025 anti-corruption protests, journalists reported being assaulted, obstructed, and exposed to tear gas while covering police operations.
• Also following September 21, 2025 protests, PUP student journalist Jacob Baluyot was issued a CIDG subpoena over allegations linking him to organizations involved in the protest’s violent incidents. Police officers also reportedly visited his home, despite his assertion that he attended the protest in his capacity as a journalist.
• On July 22, 2026, police attempted to arrest photojournalists Bullit Marquez and Rene Dilan while they were covering a protest in Pasay City.

How many more journalists must be harassed or hurt before the police are held accountable?

The Philippine National Police (PNP)’s own Revised Media Relations Policy recognizes the importance of media in upholding the public’s right to information. Further, under the October 2025 agreement between the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) and the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), the use of force against media workers is explicitly prohibited, and mechanisms are in place to investigate complaints against police personnel.

We also remind the PNP and the NAPOLCOM of their commitments under the United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which calls on states and relevant institutions to protect journalists and ensure that they can work freely and safely.

We demand that these safeguards be applied in Cruz’s case, that the officers involved be held accountable, and that the PNP ensure journalists can cover protests without fear of violence or obstruction.

We also join media colleagues in calling on the Commission on Human Rights to launch investigations into this incident and help hold press freedom violators accountable.

Reference:
Media Safety Office