First, the police had beef with how TV show Ang Probinsyano allegedly portrayed cops in a negative light, now this? Whatever happened to creative freedom?
Two men were arrested yesterday for wearing police uniforms while doing a short documentary titled Complexities of ChemSex in Cainta, Rizal. The film is based on the real-life stories of people affected by HIV and the drug war in the Philippines.
According to the Cainta police, the actors had no permit to use the uniforms which they rented from a props shop, ABS-CBN News reported.
The two men were nabbed while they were reenacting a scene where police arrest a drug suspect, Radyo Inquirer said.
The documentary was supposed to compete in the ANPUD Short Films Competition in Bangkok, Thailand, the report added. It is unclear if it will still participate.
Faustine Angeles, the film’s producer, posted on his Facebook page earlier today that he hoped the incident will serve as an eye-opener and a reminder to those who plan to make stories about the drug war in the Philippines.
“No matter how good your intention is as long as the police is (sic) being mentioned or used in your film you are at risk,” he wrote.
“We citizens of this country no longer have the freedom of speech. We can no longer be free to express what we see in our community even in artistic ways which is very saddening.”
ABS-CBN’s Umagang Kay Ganda reported that the two men are detained at the Cainta police station. They will be charged for violating Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code or the illegal use of the Philippine National Police (PNP) uniform and badge.
Last week, the PNP and ABS-CBN signed a memorandum of agreement which states that the PNP will allow the latter to use its uniform, vehicles, and facilities when shooting its top-rated TV show Ang Probinsyano but only if the show doesn’t tarnish the image of the police force.
