Dear Members,

We are issuing this statement on the harassment of a FOCAP member.

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Statement on Harassment of FOCAP Member

The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines condemns in the strongest terms the manhandling and detention of one of its members, Francis Malasig of the EPA photo agency in Taguig city Sunday night.

Malasig went to the Taguig University late Sunday to check reports of an unusual gathering of people outside the university on the eve of the May 10 elections.
Arriving at the scene, he said he saw people in and outside the university compound and asked permission from two guards to get in. Inside, he said he saw people in classrooms distributing blank IDs. At that point, some people, clearly belligerent toward him, stopped him from taking pictures and ordered him to leave. He explained that he had permission and showed proper COMELEC press accreditation.

Sensing danger, he headed out of the compound but was stopped by the same group. He said some of them hit and manhandled him and forcibly brought him to a local police station. He inquired from a police officer why he was being held against his will. He got no clear answer.

He was later transferred to the Taguig police station, where an investigation officer allowed him to go after two hours of detention when nobody showed up to file any complaint against him.

The FOCAP views this as a clear case of harassment of a properly identified news photographer on a legitimate news assignment.
This is a clear violation of press freedom at a time when open coverage of the national elections is most crucial.

We demand that Taguig officials and the Philippine National Police investigate and prosecute those responsible for this blatant transgression of Malasig’s rights.