InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- For the second time this month, the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology on Wednesday barred photojournalists and television cameramen from shooting images and video footage of the makeshift courtroom in Camp Bagong Diwa where the Ampatuan massacre trial is being heard, the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said.
BJMP personnel gave no reason for preventing photographers and cameramen from entering the jail compound where the courtroom and the detention center of those accused of the massacre are located.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court, which conducts hearings at the Taguig courtroom, has allowed photographs and video footage to be taken before and after the proceedings.
However, on January 5, when the first hearing of the year was held, photographers and TV cameramen were prevented from entering the compound to get to the courtroom, surprising even security and public information staff of the Supreme Court assigned to Bicutan who said they were not informed of the new rule.
QC RTC staff said they were not informed of the rule either.
On January 11, BJMP spokesperson Inspector Xavier Solda told NUJP there was no rule prohibiting cameramen and photojournalists from covering the trial since it is the court’s prerogative to allow cameras inside the courtroom or not.
Solda said what is prohibited by an internal order dated January 1 is “the bringing of cameras and recording devices in all BJMP facilities.”
However, to get to the courtroom, one has to enter the compound of the BJMP facility.
