The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) calls on the Philippine National Police to stop harassing journalists and protesters during protest actions.

Members of the Southern Police District arrested environmental activist and Bulatlat contributor Jian Sanz near the venue of the ASEAN Summit. Sanz was briefly detained and eventually released after a paralegal team came to her aid. 

Policemen also harassed veteran photojournalists Bullit Marquez and Rene Dilan while taking photos of the violent dispersal. In a video taken by colleagues, Marquez was seen surrounded by three policemen, with one cop pushing him with a shield. Marquez’s camera fell to the ground as he resisted arrest. A policeman tried to confiscate Dilan’s camera while fellow journalists shouted, “Photographer iyan! Photographer iyan!”

This is not the first time that the PNP deliberately attacked members of the media on the ground. On September 21, 2025, policemen tried to confiscate the cameras and blocked the view of our colleagues who were documenting the violent dispersal of anti-corruption protesters. 

It is apparent that members of the PNP violate its own rules in dealing with members of the media. The last time we checked, the PNP has pledged to implement the UN-initiated Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, which includes ensuring protection of journalists. Unfortunately, today’s incident shows that elements of the PNP are themselves the perpetrators of attacks. 

This is proof that the PNP does not understand the media’s role. We ask the Philippine National Police: Why prevent journalists from covering a public interest event? Whose interest do you serve?

These actions should not be tolerated. We demand an explanation and an apology from the PNP.

We call on the Commission on Human Rights to look into the incidents and take appropriate measures.

Reference:
NUJP National Directorate
secretariat@nujp.org