By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) director, Police Colonel Romeo Baleros, assured safety for all Negros-based media practitioners.
Following reports surrounding the Bacolod chapter chairperson of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) reportedly being tailed by an unidentified man aboard a motorcycle earlier this month in Negros Oriental, Baleros said the entire Negros Occidental police force will do everything in their power to protect media practitioners.
Last week, Rappler correspondent and former Watchmen Daily Journal writer Marchel Espina was visiting Canlaon City while covering the recent killings in Negros Oriental.
As she was heading back to Bacolod City via rental car, Espina’s driver said their vehicle was being tailed by a motorcycle-riding individual, whom they described as having a medium build and wore a bonnet, black jacket and pants, along with a backpack.
Espina’s vehicle was trailed for almost 18 kilometers until they reached La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
According to the NUJP official, “[The driver] blocked an attempt by the [motorcyclist] to overtake their vehicle and drove as fast as he could until they lost the tail.”
The incident came following a series of murders in the province that claimed the lives of at least 21 people between July 18 to 27./DGB, WDJ