Alternative media organizations across the Philippines condemned the alleged harassment and arrest of journalists during the 59th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Pasay City, July 22, renewing calls for the protection of press freedom.
This comes after anti-riot personnel allegedly surrounded journalists with riot shields, confronted freelance photographer Bullit Marquez and The Manila Times photo editor Rene Dilan, and prevented them from taking pictures of the arrest of some protesters.
Despite wearing his press ID, Marquez was targeted for arrest by police officers, who also attempted to handcuff him after his camera fell to the ground amid the commotion.
Marquez cursed in reaction, prompting police officers to attempt to apprehend both photojournalists.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has since dismissed the attempted arrests as an “honest mistake.”
Adding to the tension at the rally, Bulatlat youth and cultural journalist-activist Jian Sanz — a former student journalist from Bulacan State University (BulSU) — was forcibly arrested while covering the protest.
“When I was about to leave and back away, I heard a male police officer order, ‘Arrest that one.’ I was the person he was referring to,” Sanz explained.
Sanz was escorted to Pasay Police Station 1 without being informed of her Miranda rights.
After refusing to answer questions until paralegals and attorneys from the National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers (NUPL) arrived, Sanz was released without charge.
In a statement released by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), the group said the alleged treatment of journalists should not be tolerated.
“The last time we checked, the PNP has pledged to implement the UN-initiated Philippine Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, which includes ensuring protection of journalists. Unfortunately, today’s incident shows that elements of the PNP are themselves the perpetrators of attacks,” NUJP wrote.
“This is proof that the PNP does not understand the media’s role,” the union added.
The National Press Club of the Philippines (NPC) also criticized PNP Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. for denying the alleged harassment of photojournalists covering the protests.
“If journalists are viewed as protesters simply because they are covering a demonstration, press freedom is placed in serious danger,” Nartatez Jr. stated.
Additionally, the Press Photographers of the Philippines (PPP) called for an investigation into the actions of police officers during the incident.
The incident follows previous documented cases involving journalists covering public demonstrations, including the September 21, 2025, Manila protest, during which journalists were assaulted, obstructed, exposed to tear gas, and, in one case, arrested, according to the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).
