MANILA, Philippines — The National Journalists of the Philippines slammed the Philippine National Police for visiting media outlets to reportedly ask for positive news coverage.

Last Wednesday, a team from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office visited the office of SunStar Bacolod to ask them to write about the cops’ good deeds. They reasoned that the news reports about the police have been negative.

Other news outlets in the city were also visited, according to NUJP.

A group of policemen was also reported to have visited the SunStar Cebu office and at least one radio station.

NUJP said the visiting cops took photos of the staff at the SunStar Bacolod office without asking for permission first and reportedly, also at the Cebu radio station.

In a statement, the NUJP Bacolod said the media should not be blamed for reporting critical stories as it is the duty of journalists to report the truth.

“We report the good, the bad and the ugly. Meaning, we don’t make up stories in favor of anybody and we don’t make anybody look good on paper, radio and television,” it said.

NUJP Bacolod called on the government forces not to harass, intimidate or attack journalists who are just doing their jobs.

“Authorities are urged to respect the journalists and their duty to the public. They must not intimidate or restrict our rights to gather and spread information,” it said.

Albayalde: Visits are for coordination

PNP chief Oscar Albayalde on Monday said the visits are for police coordination with news outlets, not for “favorable coverage.”

“We’re not asking for favors dito. We’re asking for close collaboration and coordination to infom the Filipino people kung ano talaga ang dapat malaman ng ating taumbayan,” he said in a press briefing.

Albayalde added that police visits to media companies “[have] been happening ever since.”

For the NUJP National Directorate, there is nothing wrong about the police wanting good press.

“However, it is one thing to cover the PNP’s accomplishments and the media have never been remiss about giving credit where it is due. It is a totally different matter, though, to seek to recruit the media in a campaign meant to spruce up the service’s image,” NUJP said.

It stressed that for the PNP to earn the public’s trust, it has to fulfill its duty to serve and protect the Filipino people.

“It fails to do so and no amount of image building can hope to succeed,” NUJP said.