PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde
QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) released on Wednesday (June 27) its guidelines for arresting violators of laws and city ordinances.
According to PNP Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde, the guidelines clearly exempt street idlers or ordinary “tambays.”
“There was never any misinterpretation of our President’s earlier directive to the PNP to do everything within the bounds of the law. Mere loiterers will never be targeted, only those violating local ordinances,” Albayalde clarified.
Based on the guidelines issued to the ground commanders:
• Unit commanders or Chief of Police shall lead the operation.
• Only those who violate the law or city ordinances shall be arrested. Violations include drinking and smoking in public areas; roaming the streets without shirts; using karaoke beyond the allowed time, and minors violating the curfew hours.
• Chief of Police shall coordinate with local and barangay officials in the enforcement of the operation.
• Police personnel shall perform in accordance with the Police Operational Procedures.
Albayalde said the PNP is just doing its mandate of maintaining peace and order in communities across the country and protecting the welfare and rights of the public even though their actions sometimes do not please critics.
“Ito ay ikinatutuwa naman ng karamihan, Nakakalungkot po lamang na ito ay hindi nasasang-ayon sa personal na layunin ng maingay na mangilan-ngilan,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) argued that even with the set guidelines, abuse of human rights is still possible if the cops themselves do not fully understand its proper implementation.
“Guidelines or no guidelines ang importante ay naiintindihan ba ho ng ating mga kapulisan kung ano talaga ang human rights at ano ang mga karapatan ng ating mamamayan? … Kasi ang guidelines naman noong binasa ko ay general. It doesn’t say specifically kung anong dapat gawin talaga ng mga kapulisan,” said Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana
The CHR suggests that PNP should continuously remind all policemen on the ground to really observe the PNP protocol in the conducting arrest. – Lea Ylagan / Marje Pelayo
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