Makati police prohibits media from spot reports

The Makati City Police yesterday defended the directive from the Philippine National Police (PNP) prohibiting media reporters from accessing spot reports in the precincts.

Senior Superintendent Gerardo Umayao, chief of Makati police, said they were just following orders when they implemented the directive from PNP chief Ronald dela Rosa to bar media reporters from accessing spot reports.

“We can’t do anything if there’s a memorandum, we really should follow. We will be automatically charged with disobedience,” Umayao told The Manila Bulletin in Filipino.

An investigator at the Investigation Unit told this reporter that spot reports are no longer accessible to members of the media as of yesterday. Asked why, no clear reason was given and told this reporter that it’s best to ask directly at the PNP headquarters.

A spot report contains the necessary information about a particular incident including the name of the reportee and reported, the nature of crime, the time and place of occurrence of incident, and the sequence of the incident among others.

Asked whether the directive might violate the principle of transparency and Freedom of Information Bill, Umayao said: “I cannot answer that. We’re just following orders for us not to be charged.”

Meanwhile, in Pasay City, spot reports are still being accessed by media reporters as of yesterday.