(We yield this space to the statement of the human rights alliance Karapatan due to its timeliness — Ed.)
The Department of Internal and Local Government (DILG) recently considered filing a case against the popular television series Ang Probinsyano for its “unfair and inaccurate” portrayal of the Philippine National Police (PNP). This is among the latest expressions of paranoia of the DILG and PNP which seek to censor programs that reflect and allude to some realities on the corruption, brutality and dire state of affairs within the police, military and government. However, the DILG and the PNP are attacking a work of fiction, instead of resolving the very real problems plaguing the police and the whole gamut of the government’s security forces.
A fictional character is dealing with corruption within the government, along with a host of cronies, scalawag officers, among others. Inaccurate? The facts beg to differ. The bloody war on drugs has reportedly killed at least 4,500 people, filed under the category “deaths resulting from legitimate encounters.” Some 20,000 more killings are considered “deaths under investigation.” Apart from this, police officers have also been involved in corrupt practices, and other rights violations and misconduct. Recent developments have brought to the spotlight schemes such as sex-for-freedom and rape. One perpetrator even admitted that this was something considered “standard operating procedure (SOP)” during operations. This adds to the 31 rape cases since 2012 involving 43 police officers, according to women’s rights groups.
The PNP’s statement demanding a change in the program’s plot is a blatant display of State censorship. This is akin to dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ removal of animated series Voltes V because it ended with the triumphant overthrow of an evil empire. The DILG statement threatening the filing of charges against Ang Probinsyano and its staff, constitutes plain harassment. This is the same course of action undertaken by the police and military against activists and individuals who openly voice out and protest against what they perceive to be anti-people government policies.
The PNP and the government’s security forces have become the villains in the eyes of the people not because of the programs aired on television, but because of their own brutality and lack of regard for people’s rights throughout the years.
Karapatan questions and condemns these repressive moves by government forces and agencies. They should stop being so obsessed with their already notorious image, and instead start adhering to their mandate to genuinely serve and protect the Filipino people.
