Media professionals in Eastern Visayas are expressing outrage following the arrest of Josie Serseña, an Ormoc-based journalist, due to her failure to attend court hearings as a witness in a drug buy-bust operation conducted by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA).
Serseña, a radio broadcaster and reporter for the weekly newspaper Eastern Visayas Mail, was taken into custody early morning on July 5 at her residence in Barangay Kagao-han, Ormoc City.
She was released later that same evening after her publisher posted bail.
The arrest was reportedly based on a bench warrant issued by Judge Mario Quinit of the Regional Trial Court Branch 12 in Ormoc City, who presides over the drug case in which Serseña testified.
The warrant was issued following a motion filed by prosecutor Erwin Fabriga.
According to Serseña, she was asked by PDEA to act as a witness during a buy-bust operation in Barangay Sto. Rosario, Matag-ob town, back in April 2022.
It is a common practice for PDEA and the Philippine National Police to involve media practitioners as witnesses in their anti-drug operations - a practice that has long been criticized by media organizations.
Serseña explained that she did not receive a summons to appear in court for the hearing scheduled on June 27, 2024, nor was she informed about it by the PDEA lawyer.
Court personnel later informed her that the summons had been sent out on June 13.
The incident has sparked renewed debate over the role of journalists in law enforcement activities and the procedural fairness involved in such cases.
Photo Courtesy : Josie Serseña FB Account
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