The Police Regional Office in Western Visayas (PRO-6) has called on members of the local media to report any threats concerning their work for appropriate intervention.

PRO-6 spokesperson, Major Grace Borio, initially called for dialogue with members of the Iloilo Police and Defense Press Corps at the regional headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, June 14, in compliance with the order of acting PRO-6 director, Brigadier General Sidney Villafor to document any threat, for possible police intervention.

“This is to avoid the same incident that happened to a media practitioner in Mindoro,” she said in a follow-up interview.

Borio added that all information officers and chiefs of police in the region have been designated as focal officers for media security and will be responsible for managing any threat that the media will receive.

“We will try to work out within the week, give them schedules when to reach out to other members of the local media so that we can also assist them on how to do it,” Borio said.

Once the threat is confirmed, the case will be referred to the Regional Intelligence Division to determine the source of the threat.

Depending on the situation, the chief of the police station where the threat was reported will decide on what assistance to provide.

The last reported threat against a member of the media in Western Visayas was two months ago involving a radio personality in Aklan province’s Kalibo town, she said.

Borio added that the practitioner reported to the local police six pieces of ammunition placed on a table inside the house where he was staying. (PNA)