BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City and Benguet-based media community has expressed concern over the deteriorating relationship between local journalists and the Police Regional Office-Cordillera (PRO-Cordillera).
In a statement supporting the Cordillera PNP Press Corps’ decision to dissolve its leadership, the group said the breakdown in cooperation undermines public access to information. “For several decades, the partnership between local journalists and the police served to maintain community trust and provide necessary checks and balances,” the Baguio City Press Corps (BCBC) said.
The organization emphasized that media-police collaboration should be rooted in mutual respect, not selective communication. The press corps reported being systematically excluded from official ceremonies, briefings, and other engagements. According to the group, PRO-Cordillera has increasingly focused on image management, sharing favorable data while withholding information on serious incidents.
A key example occurred at Camp Bado Dangwa on 20 February 2026, when the recognized press corps was bypassed for a regional press conference. The group said information should remain a public good and not be curated to avoid accountability.
The dissolution of the press corps’ leadership, the BCBC said, is meant to assert professional dignity and highlight the need for open communication channels. The organization called on PRO-Cordillera leadership to review engagement protocols, stressing that an independent press and a transparent police force are essential to a safe society.