BY RHENJIE MARIE CALANTAS
ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) held a security dialogue with media practitioners at the Iloilo City Police Station 1 conference hall on General Luna Street, City Proper yesterday morning.
The dialogue’s main agenda were the security and safety of journalists in the city.
Friday last week, radio blocktime host Flo Hervias was assaulted by unidentified men outside the station of DYRI Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Iloilo in La Paz district here.
“Ari kita diri subong nga aga kay may directive nga ang aton mga units and commanders dapat i-secure naton ang aton mga media friends, ilabi na gid ang mga may panagupnop nga daw medyo delikado sila. Para mahatagan naton security measures ang aton mga media friends kung kinanglan nila ang security at any given time and at any given place diri sa aton sa Iloilo City,” said Police Colonel Leo T. Batiles, ICPO director.
The police line is open and they will immediately deal with any threat to the lives of media practitioners, he added.
“Kung ang situation mag-arise wherein naga-cause sya threat on your part, of course you have to make us aware and then we will get information from you kung ano ang real situation on your part para ma-assess naton kag kung ano ang mahimo ni police. If you have that feeling nga you are in danger sa situation in a particular area, ma-deploy si pulis sang security personnel para sa imo, either uniformed or naka-civilian,” the ICPO director added.
Also present at the dialogue were the chief of Mobile Patrol Unit, Police Lieutenant Colonel Lindley T. Barrientos; and commander of the Iloilo City Mobile Force Company, Police Lieutenant Colonel Romeo M. Vargas.
No suspect yet on Hervias’ attack
Meanwhile, the La Paz Police Station still does not have a suspect in the attack on Hervias, said Police Major Jose Val Ladublan, chief of the La Paz police station.
“During sa amon investigation, wala sang CCTV (closed-circuit television camera) sa area. Sa pyak dalan may ara pero non-functional man. The only witness naton amo ni ang victim kag upod niya halin sa station,” Ladublan said.
Moreover, the La Paz PNP has not been able to establish what vehicle was used by the suspects who fled away.
“As of now, wala pa man kita persons of interest, but we were directed by our city director to conduct an in-depth investigation,” the police chief said.
Earlier, the ICPO vowed to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Batiles believes the incident was related to Hervias’ work./PN
