The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday announced its own investigation into the alleged harassment of two police officers by reporters in Leyte.

According to the CHR, the Regional Office VIII is closely monitoring the development of this case while conducting a parallel investigation.

The officers in question were identified as Police Staff Sergeant Rhea May Baleos and her husband, Police Staff Sergeant Ver Baleos, by the Leyte Police Provincial Office.

They have been stripped of their positions and transferred to the provincial headquarters while an inquiry is being conducted.

When the alleged harassment occurred, members of the media were covering a land dispute between Moises Empillo and Anecita Nogal, who was with her husband, Virgilio Nogal.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) said that Rhea allegedly snatched a San Juanico TV reporter's cell phone as he was filming and pushed him away.

Acting Pastrana Police Chief Major Darwin Dalde stated that there was "no truth that PNP personnel from this station fired their firearms and that the said shooting incident was just disinformation.

CHR appreciates the Philippine National Police (PNP) Eastern Visayas' quick response in releasing the police couple involved and commencing an investigation into the situation.

They expect that their assurance of a fair investigation and their commitment to not tolerating any type of abuse will result in full accountability for those found guilty of grave wrongdoing.

The CHR also requests that the journalists engaged be protected, as well as efforts to safeguard media safety in the area.