What a Shame: Blocking Vanguard Reporters is a Slap in the Face to Press Freedom

Posted on Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:01 am

The incident on April 15 at the Tacloban Astrodome, where two reporters from The Vanguard, Rolly Magallanes and Jessieboy Novillo, were blocked from covering President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s visit, had their media IDs questioned, and were even accused of having “fake” credentials, is not just an unfortunate misstep in protocol. It is a blatant and unacceptable violation of the fundamental right to press freedom, and a stain on the efforts of both the Presidential Security Group (PSG) and the Tacloban City Information Office to uphold democratic values.

Let us be clear: when journalists show up to cover a public event involving the President of the Philippines, they are not intruders, they are performing a critical role in keeping the public informed. Their media IDs were checked and photographed, yet instead of being allowed to do their jobs, they were branded as carrying fake credentials, delayed in their work, and publicly embarrassed in front of onlookers. This kind of treatment has no place in a nation that prides itself on being a democracy.

The PSG has a duty to ensure the safety of the President, and we recognize that security protocols are necessary. But there is a world of difference between conducting proper verification and making baseless accusations that undermine the credibility of working journalists. If there were genuine concerns about the reporters’ credentials, the appropriate response would have been to address the matter privately, follow established procedures for verifying media accreditation, and resolve any issues without public humiliation or disruption to their coverage.

Equally troubling is the role of the Tacloban City Information Office in this incident. As the local government body responsible for facilitating communication between authorities and the media, their failure to intervene, clarify the situation, or stand up for the reporters’ right to cover the event is deeply disappointing. Instead of acting as a bridge between the public and those in power, they appear to have allowed, or even participated in, actions that suppress the very information flow they are supposed to support.

Press freedom is not a privilege granted by those in power – it is a right enshrined in our Constitution, designed to ensure that citizens have access to information about their government and its leaders. When reporters are blocked, questioned without cause, or labeled as fraudulent simply for doing their jobs, we all lose. The public is denied accurate, timely coverage of important events, and the accountability that comes with transparency is eroded.

This incident should serve as a wake-up call to both national and local authorities. The PSG must review its procedures for accrediting and treating media personnel, ensuring that security measures do not cross into censorship or harassment. The Tacloban City Information Office must take responsibility for its role in this fiasco, issue a formal apology to the two reporters, and work to rebuild trust with the media community it is supposed to serve.

To those who dismiss this as a minor protocol issue: think again. Every time a journalist is blocked from covering a public event, every time their credentials are unjustly questioned, every time they are made to feel unwelcome or untrusted, we move one step closer to a society where those in power control what the public knows and what they don’t. That is not the Philippines we should aspire to be.

What a shame indeed on the part of the PSG, the Tacloban City Information Office, and all who allow such violations of press freedom to occur. Our journalists deserve better, and our democracy demands better.