Pasay police explains confrontation with photojournalists covering rally

MANILA, Philippines — The Pasay City Police Station explained why some of its personnel confronted at least two photojournalists covering a rally outside an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) meeting held there on Wednesday. “Our police officers heard something bad. So, our police officers tried to restrict whoever said it,” Pasay police chief Col. Joselito de Sesto detailed in an interview on DZMM on Wednesday night. Although he did not specify what exactly the photojournalist had said, De Sesto claimed that cursing at the police could be considered resistance or disobedience to a person in authority. Article continues after this advertisement READ: PNP probes cops over ‘harassment’ of 2 photojournalists covering rally “Our personnel did not recognize that it was one of our friends from the media whom they had caught because he was swinging his camera, so our police held them to restrict the one who was cursing,” De Sesto said. “When our personnel found out it was a member of the media, we let the person go,” he added. Protesters led by the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan and other progressive groups staged a rally outside the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City during the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. As the police attempted to push back on the rallyists, photojournalists Bullit Marquez and Rene Dilan were allegedly confronted by law enforcers and prevented from photographing the arrest of protesters, according to the Photojournalists’ Center of the Philippines. Article continues after this advertisement Earlier, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. pointed the blame at the rallyists for “provoking” the police and denied harassing them during the incident, also citing that the area was a no-rally zone. “But, we still observed maximum tolerance,” de Sesto maintained. “We didn’t fight back against the rallyists.” Article continues after this advertisement In a statement, the PNP further said it will be investigating the incident and that it would be taking the “appropriate administrative and other legal actions” if it is proven that personnel failed to observe existing laws, PNP policies and operational procedures. United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio was expected during the Asean meeting. The demonstrators called on the government to oppose Pax Silica, a US-led coalition of 14 countries seeking to strengthen supply chains for critical minerals, semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again. Your subscription has been successful. Under the initiative, a site in New Clark City, Capas, Tarlac would be used to build an AI manufacturing hub, prompting support for potential investments and opposition over concerns related to the possible displacement of communities and environmental protection. /cb