2 Filipinio Visayan cops of Leyte caught on camera assaulting local journalists 

Police Staff Sergeant Rhea May Baleos and her husband Police Staff Sergeant Ver Baleos were relieved 

By Edward Era Barbacena 

CNN: Two agrgresive Visayan policemen as couple in Leyte, Philippines have been relieved of their duties for allegedly harassing three local journalists last Friday morning, the Leyte Police Provincial Office said Saturday night.

In a statement, the Leyte police said its officer-in-charge PLtCol Ricky Reli reassigned Police Staff Sergeant Rhea May Baleos and her husband Police Staff Sergeant Ver Baleos to the provincial headquarters. The former was designated in Sta. Fe town and the latter in Pastrana town.

The couple also turned over their firearms to be examined for gunpowder residue, the Leyte police added.

They allegedly harassed and threatened with gunshots Lito Bagunas, Noel Sianosa, and Ted Tomas of San Juanico TV who were covering a land dispute in Barangay Jones in Pastrana, the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) said.

"Initial investigation disclosed that the incident stemmed from a land dispute between Mr. Moises Empillo and Anecita Nogal with her husband, Mr Virgilio Nogal. Mr. Empillo claimed to be the owner of the rice field located at the said place, while Mr. and Mrs. Nogal also claimed to be the rightful owner of it," the Leyte police said.

"The said rice field was mortgaged to PSSg Baleos in the year 2017. During the dispute, PSSg Baleos called the Pastrana MPS for assistance," it added.

The Leyte police also said Sianosa allegedly took a video when Sergeant Rhea May Baleos and Mrs. Nogal argued on the "legality of possessing the rice field," prompting the cop to "call the attention of Mr. Sianosa, and the two had a commotion."

"Baleos reportedly grabbed Sianosa's cellphone while the latter was taking videos, and pushed him away," the NUJP said in a statement on Saturday. "A few minutes later, the three journalists heard gunshots."

"Tomas said he saw policemen in uniform firing the shots," it added.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security on Saturday urged the Philippine National Police in Eastern Visayas to probe the incident and impose disciplinary action, if necessary, on members of the Pastrana police.

"We are still investigating the said incident and rest assured that we will not be biased with our investigation and if proven that our personnel have truly committed all the accusations, our Office will not tolerate such misconduct," Reli said.

"While we highly recognize the role of the media men in the delivery of impartial and factual information to the general public, we also do our best to protect their rights and safety," he added.

The Leyte police also said it welcomes more information from possible witnesses "to beef up our investigation and for the immediate resolution of the case."