BY Bulatlat.com
September 1, 2008 – 3:16 p.m.

While the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) welcomed the Commission on Human Rights’ (CHR) resolution on the Manila Peninsula standoff, the group also found the said resolution wanting.

In its resolution, the CHR found violations in the “arrest, detention and processing” of journalists who covered the Nov. 29, 2007 Makati standoff.

In a statement, the NUJP said that instead of recommending the filing of charges against those who violated the journalists’ rights, the CHR merely ‘referred’ the case to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) for internal inquiry. The NUJP said that the departments’ personnel were the ones accused of the violations.

The CHR also urged the Justice department to look into the matter.

The NUJP asked, “But how can we expect a fair investigation by the Justice Department when no less than Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez prejudged the case when he issued an advisory urging media practitioners to ‘obey’ authorities when it comes to incidents like the Manila Pen standoff?” (Bulatlat.com)

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