Police to undergo media relations seminar

CEBU, Philippines - Following complaints from the media against some policemen’s handling of interviews, the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CCPO) is set to conduct today a media relations seminar which will also cover the proper manner of entertaining phone calls.

The seminar aims to give policemen a refresher, especially for desk officers, on telephone etiquette and how to be courteous during media interviews.

Supt. Elmer Lim, chief of the Provincial Police Community Relations Branch, said the idea of holding the seminar stemmed from complaints against two policemen in southern Cebu for being discourteous.

Lim said they will include in the seminar discussions on the kind of information that can be released while investigation of a case is ongoing.

The seminar will be attended by all chiefs of police, desk officers, CPPO staff members and members of the media who are covering the police beat.

 Lim is hopeful that through the seminar, policemen will boost their confidence in front of the camera and when doing radio interviews on air.

The recent complaint brought to the attention of Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador, director of the CPPO, was the one against Insp. Ma. Theresa Gutierrez, chief of the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk of the Minglanilla Police Station.

Gutierrez allegedly shooed away reporters last May 17 while they were trying to get some details on a rape case.  A dialogue was made at the CPPO with Comendador, Lim and the reporters.

Police Regional Director Marcelo Garbo Jr. relieved her of her post and assigned her to the Regional Police Community Relations (RPCR) office headed by Supt. Armando Radoc.

Garbo said that her new post is a chance for her to learn from experience, stressing that being with RPCR would help her develop her skills in dealing with reporters. —(FREEMAN)