Pagdilao says initial withholding of Akiyoshi case facts due to Japanese embassy request is wrong

By Ronron
July 17, 2007

The chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office (PIO) branded on Tuesday as “wrong” the act of local policemen in Angeles City, Pampanga to withhold information to the media about the killing of a Japanese national there.

Chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao, Jr. issued the statement to Manila Shimbun when informed that Sr. Inspector Luisito Tan, the deputy chief of the Angeles City Police Station 4, refused on Monday to give basic or initial facts about the killing of Reisuke Akiyoshi, citing a request of the Japanese Embassy for a news blackout.

Akiyoshi was found dead before noon of Monday inside his rented apartment in Barangay Anunas, Angeles City by his wife and responding policemen. Police confirmed on Tuesday that he died due to a gunshot wound to the head.

When asked for basic facts about the case later on Monday afternoon, Tan told the Manila Shimbun in Filipino: “I cannot give you the details yet because the Japanese Embassy personnel are coming and they are requesting for a news blackout.”

Tan continued to withhold the information from the Manila Shimbun even after he has already met with the two personnel from the Japanese Embassy – a Japanese national and a Filipino.

The Manila Shimbun was forced to get the basic facts of the case from a higher police office on Monday evening.

In a visit to the morgue where Akiyoshi’s body was brought, the Manila Shimbun was also denied of any information about the case for the same reason that police gave.

A source at the morgue said he cannot give any comment about the Akiyoshi case because there is an instruction from the Filipino personnel of the embassy to do so.

“He told me that they do not want the incident to come out to the media because it might scare investors away. He said let’s just do it (news blackout) for the benefit of our country,” the source said in Filipino.

In an interview yesterday morning, Pagdilao said of Tan’s withholding of information: “I think, that is wrong. The embassy does not and cannot control whatever we say. Our only job is to inform them of the incidents, the details, the facts about the incidents involving their nationals.”

When asked if Tan merits a sanction for doing such, Pagdilao refused to comment, saying he has to know the real reason from the police officer for withholding information.

“We are not sure if he (Tan) just wanted really to confirm first all the details from the Japanese Embassy personnel like the name of the victim,” Pagdilao surmised.

But Pagdilao laid out clearly the policy on releasing information about criminal cases involving foreign nationals. “For incidents that happen in our jurisdiction, Philippine authorities will determine when to release information. It is covered by our media relations policy.”/DMS