MANILA - The chief of the Police Regional Office 8 said Sunday that the organization "will not tolerate any form of misconduct" within its ranks as it assured a fair investigation into an incident in Pastrana, Leyte on Friday involving members of the force and some local journalists.

Police BGen. Vincent Calanoga issued the statement after Leyte Police Provincial Office officer-in-charge Lt. Col. Ricky Reli announced the relief from their posts of the two policemen, SSg Rhea May Baleos and her husband, PSSg Ver Baleos who is assigned in Pastrana, while the probe is underway.

"We are dedicated to resolving this matter promptly. We will not tolerate any form of misconduct within our ranks," Calanoga said.

"We likewise urge witnesses to come forward and shed light on the incident for a swift and fair result of the investigation."

Three reporters from San Juanico TV — Lito Bagunas, Noel Sianosa, and Ted Tomas — were interviewing farmer-beneficiaries of a land reform program in Barangay Jones in Pastrana when Baleos, in plainclothes, told them to leave the area, according to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines.

"Baleos reportedly grabbed Sianosa's cellphone while the latter was taking videos, and pushed him away. A few minutes later, the three journalists heard gunshots," the NUJP said, adding that the media personnel were unhurt.

Tomas said that he saw police officers in uniform firing the gunshots, according to the NUJP. He then shouted, "Wag kayong magpapaputok. Mga media kami."

The Leyte provincial police said that based on initial investigation, a rice field that is subject of a land dispute has been mortgaged to Baleos since 2017.

Aside from their relief, the Baleos couple were also ordered to surrender their service firearms and to undergo a gunpowder residue examination.

"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 in a separate statement on Saturday.

The Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS) called the police's alleged harassment of members of the press "totally uncalled for, unnecessary and amounted to abuse of authority and power."

Calanoga said the Eastern Visayas Police Force has "profound respect for the media's valuable contributions in the dissemination of information and the development of our nation."

He also emphasized the importance for the police force to maintain integrity and professionalism.

—With report from Raffy Santos, ABS-CBN News

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