BJMP to find out if its men blocked reporters from interviewing detainee

October 15, 2020

The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) vows to look at the incident where its personnel reportedly blocked media from interviewing jailed activist Reina Mae Nasino during her furlough to visit the wake of her three month-old child.

"We will look at the nature of the incident and the circumstances surrounding PDL Nasino's furlough," Jail Chief Insp. Xavier Solda, BJMP spokesman, said on Thursday.

"We assure you that the BJMP is putting all efforts to protect the PDL under its care, especially in this time of the pandemic, following the standard health and security protocols," he added.

The BJMP issued the statement after the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) seeks a probe against BJMP personnel who stopped Nasino from speaking to the media.

According to the NUJP, "the BJMP personnel who trampled on the rights of both the news personnel covering the event and of Ms. Nasino, whose incarceration does not deprive her of the right to free expression, were either ignorant of media’s role in a democracy or did not care."

“We demand an immediate and transparent investigation into this incident and for sanctions to be leveled against both the unit commander who either ordered or failed to prevent this gross violation of civil rights and the personnel who obeyed, willingly or not, a clearly illegal order,” the group said. Robina Asido/DMS