On the social media platform X, also known as Twitter, a well-known investigative journalist-blogger, Raissa Robles, posted what seemed like a subtle comment on the actions of the self-proclaimed motivational speaker Rendon Labador. In her post, she tagged the official PNP Public Information Office (PNPPIO) and said, “Hello@pnppio, ang isang “vlogger” na walang training sa journalism ay hindi journalist. Akala kasi ng mga vlogger na ang trabaho ng journalist ay napakadali. Hindi nila alam na maraming pinag-aaralan at sinusunod na procedure ang journalist sa pagcover at pagreport.
This comes after the removal of PCapt. Michelle Sabino from her position, following her decision to allow Rendon Labador to cover a live Facebook stream during a raid on a lending institution in Makati City.
It’s worth noting that Sabino allowed Labador to accompany the police in their operation against an online lending company in Makati City. Labador’s Facebook Live gave the impression that the employees of the lending company were already guilty of alleged harassment against those who couldn’t repay their loans. He also attempted to move around and inadvertently captured the faces of some of the employees while the police were investigating, which reportedly angered the families of some of those involved.
Following this incident, PNP Chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. immediately ordered an investigation into the matter. Acorda also reminded the police to exercise caution during operations and to follow guidelines when working with members of the media.
Labador has been involved in several controversies before, participating in important social issues that he sees as his role as the “Voice of the Masses.” He lost his Facebook page after being reported by Vice Ganda’s fans when he interfered in a controversy involving Vice Ganda and Ion Perez, leading to the suspension of “It’s Showtime” by the MTRCB.
As of now, Labador has not made any statements following PCapt. Michelle Sabino’s removal from her position. It is hoped that this serves as a reminder for Labador to be more cautious about getting involved in societal issues, as Raissa Robles suggests that he is not a journalist and lacks proper training in the field.
Hello @pnppio, ang isang "vlogger" na walang training sa journalism ay hindi journalist. Akala kasi ng mga vlogger na ang trabaho ng journalist ay napakadali. Hindi nila alam na maraming pinag-aaralan at sinusunod na procedure ang journalist sa pagcover at pagreport. 😎
— Raissa Robles (@raissawriter) October 27, 2023