Bato urges cops to observe human rights

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In line with the spate of extrajudicial killings and drug-related deaths, PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa urged cops to strictly adhere to the prescribed police operational procedures during law enforcement operations, especially now that the country is under a state of lawlessness.

“All arrests should be made only on the basis of a valid warrant of arrest issued by a competent authority, except in instances where the law allows warrantless arrest,” Dela Rosa explained.

It has already been clarified by Malacanang the scope and limitations of the authority of the police and military forces under a state of emergency because of the lawless violence.

Executive secretary Salvador Medialdea has issued a memorandum for the PNP and AFP, which emphasized that “no civil or political rights are suspended during the existence of a state of lawless violence.”

Medialda also said that warrantless arrests are acceptable when the person to be arrested has either committed, is committing, or is attempting to commit an offense in front of officers who would be doing the arrest. It could also be that an offense has just been committed and the officer personally knows the facts that indicate the person did commit the offense.

Aside from these situations, officers are allowed to perform warrantless arrest if the person is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment and when the person arrested or to be arrested has voluntarily waived his right against warrantless arrest.

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