Malolos City—The National Press Club (NPC) has condemned the alleged extortion activities of four Bulacan mediamen who were arrested last Sunday in Concepcion, Tarlac, after they identified themselves as police agents to extort P10,000 in protection money from a local carnival operator.
Newly-elected NPC president Lydia Bueno said: “Let the public know that the NPC never condones, as it even denounces, such criminal malpractice among the members of the press.”
“The NPC ID recovered (from suspect Rene Clemente) is also an old one, and that he is not currently an active member of the Club, having paid his last membership dues in 2018,” Bueno, the managing editor of Remate News Central, added.
“Even as the suspects should be allowed their day in court as part of due process, the incident is also sufficient ground to review and bar the membership of Clemente for gross violation of the Journalist’s Code of Ethics,” she said.
Aside from Clemente, 57, also arrested were his live-in partner Sally Inot y Haplos, 43; Steve Inot, 22, single; and, Jason Estrada, 45; all residents of Barangay Longos, Malolos City.
Clemente is an official media consultant of Bulacan Gov. Daniel Fernando.
The Concepcion police investigator-on-case told the Standard that Clemente and his partner posted bail of P100,000 each in cash yesterday. Steve Inot and Estrada are still detained at the police precinct.
Fernando has yet to comment on the incident involving his consultant.
Calls to Maricel Santos-Cruz, chief of the Bulacan Provincial Public Affairs Office also went unanswered.
Police identified the extortion-victim as Rolando Bucsit y Julaton, 53, of Brgy. Ilocano Sur, San Fernando City, La Union, presently residing at Brgy. Alfonso, Concepcion, Tarlac where he operates a “perya” (small-town carnival).
The police report said the four suspects, led by Clemente, introduced themselves as agents of ‘CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group) Tarlac’ and demanded P10,000 in protection money from Bucsit for the continued operations of his perya.
Bucsit said he sensed the four were fake CIDG agents after noticing the Press IDs worn by the suspects. He then sent an aide to seek the help of Concepcion policemen, who responded and arranged an entrapment operation against the suspects.
Various press IDs were recovered from the suspects, including the NPC ID and the media consultant’s ID of Clemente issued by the Bulacan provincial government.
The suspects are facing charges of extortion and usurpation of authority as violations of Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code.
The Bulacan PNP Press Corps (BPPC), based in Camp Gen. Alejo S. Santos, also condemned the activities of the four whom it described as “fly-by-night mediamen wearing pseudo-press IDs.”
Ledy Tantoco, acting BPPC Board chairman, said: “Masyado ng nakakasira sa imahe ng mga legitimate reporters ang mga extortion activities nitong mga umo-orbit sa peryahan at mga sugal lupa. Dapat aksyonan na talaga ng pulis Bulacan ang mga gawain ito.”