Lazy reporting on police chief’s vow to ‘restore’ public trust in PNP

JEERS TO some news media outlets for reporting the statements of the chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) on restoring public trust in the police without additional information and context. 

What’s the Story?

On June 12, DZRH published a story in their news website that new police Chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. vowed to restore the public’s trust in the PNP. Acorda encouraged police officers to “get out of their stations more often and interact with the people, the civilians.” 

A few weeks earlier, the The Daily Tribune and The Manila Standard had published stories about the same topic, with Acorda enjoining police officers to “trust the process” as the PNP tries to resolve accountability issues.

What the Reports Lacked

None of the three outlets in their online reports delved in any significant way into the issues that compelled Acorda to give his assurances of reform. Coverage lacked necessary reference to the most recent “shabu haul mess” with 50 police officers facing criminal complaints connected to the October 2022 drug bust and confiscation of PHP 6.7 billion worth of shabu. 

These reports did not include the immediate background; nor did media refer to the key role that the police played in Duterte’s bloody “war on drugs.” The reporters did not bother to interview other sources who could have discussed various reasons why the PNP may have lost public trust. 

What Could Have Been Done?

The problem of public trust is not a simple matter and journalism should do what it can to shed light on its complexity. While there have been enough offenses to erode the people’s trust in their law enforcement agencies, the May 2023 survey by Octa Research showed eight out of 10 Filipinos still expressing trust in the PNP. Experts in the field could have helped journalists explore other angles with which to present the issue.  

Reports should have gathered more information about cases in court confronting police personnel with charges involving domestic and financial abuse.

When the media rely only on the official statements, the coverage succeeds only in projecting these claims, publicizing the public official and his words. But these reports do not let the public understand the problems and issues involved. 

Why Is this Important?

The problem with the police is not bad public relations or low popularity – it’s abusive conduct and the lack of accountability. The news media should keep this in mind and resist this kind of lazy reporting that presents a genuine problem as though it could be addressed by words. When they report only what “he said” – journalism becomes part of the PR machinery that sweeps serious issues under the rug. Such coverage makes the media complicit in the perpetuation of problems that arise when law enforcers use their power against the citizens they are sworn to protect.