Assured of their safety and protection
TACLOBAN CITY— Members of the media were taught the basic principles on shooting sponsored by the Philippine National Police (PNP) here in the region.
And whatever lessons they have learned during the one-day training dubbed as ‘media security and safety training,’ could be applied if they chose to join their operations, Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz, police regional director, said.
The activity was held at the shooting range at the provincial headquarters of the Leyte police headquarters at San Jose district, this city.
About 50 media practitioners coming from Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar and the cities of Tacloban, Calbayog, Catbalogan, Borongan, and Ormoc attended the shooting practice held Sunday(September 24).
Cruz said that they were happy that media practitioners of the region attended the activity, his first encounter with members of the media coming from different areas of the region since he assumed the post on August 30.
According to the police regional director, the members of the media could join on their police operations and will be given protection like providing them bulletproof vests and Kevlar to ensure their safety and protection.
With the media joining their operations, particularly those on illegal drugs, they could see for themselves that police operatives are doing their acts within their sworn duty and that they are not engaging in any illegal activities, like planting of evidence or resorting to extrajudicial killing, Cruz said.
“We’re not expecting for media to always join us in our police operations. We are doing this to let them know on what they should do and what they need to do when they join police operations,” Cruz said.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte opened the idea for media practitioners join police operations amid allegations of extrajudicial killings as he continues his controversial fight on illegal drugs.
During the simulation exercise, the media participants were made to watch where they should stay on an actual police operation.
“The position is very important to ensure your safety on a deadly assault,” Cruz stressed.
Prior to the simulation exercise, the media practitioners were first taught on proper gun handling and firing and to remember every single detail when joining police operations as they may be called to appear before the court to stand as witnesses.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
