Media Safety: “Ones safety depends on Oneself”

By PJTremedal, BNDMisOC-CIB/OCM

Ozamiz City – When Task Force USIG of the Philippine National Police was organized to investigate media killings, harassment and other crimes committed against media practitioners and filed cases in the courts, from 2000-2010, TF USIG reported that they had investigated 39 cases involving work related atrocities against the media.

As mandated by higher headquarters, with the leadership of the new PNP Chief, not only the Task force was directed to help and solve media atrocities’ but the whole PNP units, especially the PNP Public Community Relations.

In Misamis Occidental, late this week, 30 media practitioners from Ozamiz, Tangub and Oroquieta cities found themselves trained by the police on Personal Security measures for Media practitioners with the theme; “Personal Security while at work.”

In his opening message, Provincial Director P/SSupt Robert G. Quenery said that personal security does not depend on police alone but “one’s security depends on oneself”. He said.

With its ratio 1 policeman to every 1,000 individuals, media practitioners is hard enough to be secured by the police, so it is but necessary that each media personality must also secured themselves as what the seminar workshop had pointed out.

With the Provincial Intelligence Officer as lecturer, P/Supt. Wilbur M. Salaguste explained to the media why and what to do in case of threats and other harassment, but to secure firstly, each media practitioners should practice the learn lesson on safety measures to be adopted.

Quoting the Art of War, “Knowing your enemy and know yourself, in the thousand battle you will be in the peril” started the day of the activity where the media participants focused on the lecturer who shared the do’s and don’ts on Personal Security, Threat Assessment, At Home, the family, how to detect surveillance, and each security during at work and in the workplace.

In the said seminar-workshop, the participants then ask questions to the lecturer while imparting words of wisdom to be adopted and learned by the media practitioners.

P/Supt Salaguste reminded the participants that, during the pre-attack surveillance that a realistic chance of detect, deter as neutralize an attack exists. And always ask the question, “If I was doing surveillance on myself, where would I be?

The seminar-workshop ended with satisfaction as the PNP MisOC PCR Officer, P/Supt Susan O Guigue thanks the participation of the media practitioners and strengthening the relationship of the media and the police is a priority as they would be partners in peace and development.