NBI, press club battle media killings, fake newsmen
THE National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the National Press Club of the Philippines agreed to work together to find fast solution for media killing and to improve the journalism industry by arresting people claiming to be “legitimate” members of the press.
During the courtesy call last week, NBI Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas and NPC President Benny Antiporda and NPC Diretor Paul Gutierrez agreed on the following “working principles” for the two organizations.
The arrangement the NPC made with the NBI is different from the agreement that the NPC has been trying to formalize with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police.
“All these efforts by the NPC is aimed at hastening the solution of work-related killings and harassments that continue to hound the members of the Philippine media,” Antiporda said.
Also during the courtesy call, Rojas said that he is “honored” that NPC took the initiative to call his attention and to seek his help to resolve the many problems media people experience.
“The honor is mined for this visit and rest assured of the bureau’s full support to your endeavor to protect your members,” Rojas said.
Antiporda, on his part, promised the NBI director of fair treatment and NPC’s full support on the reform programs that Rojas in pushing for the NBI.
Both the NBI and the NPC agreed that the proliferation of fake members of the press who do not observe the Journalism Code of Ethics damages the media’s credibility and contributes to the incidents of media killing in the country.
