PNP News Releases 2006

CALDERON: RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS IS POLICY

PNP Chief, Director General Oscar C Calderon today reminded all police personnel to strictly follow the prescribed Police Operational Procedures and uphold Human Rights in all police operations.

Calderon reiterated his guidance today in Camp Crame as he formally launched Task Group Motorized Anti-Streetcrime Operatives (TG MASO) of the National Capital Region Police Office.

The Chief PNP and NCRPO Chief, Director Reynaldo P Varilla personally led the TG MASO motorcycle patrols around the streets of Metro Manila in a demonstration of the police' intensified campaign against crime especially during the holiday season.

Aside from preventive patrol and dragnet operations, Varilla said the TG MASO will also man checkpoints in strategic locations within the five Police Districts of NCR to prevent the movement of criminal elements and arrest persons with illegal firearms and deadly weapons.

Calderon instructed Varilla to assign responsible officers to supervise all checkpoint operations as required under the Police Operations Procedures or rules of engagement.

“My instructions are to respect human rights at all times and to strictly follow all regulations to the letter. Respect for Human Rights is not a mere requirement, it is a policy,” Calderon said.

Calderon's call comes as the PNP joins the nationwide annual observance of National Human Rights Consciousness Week during this second week of December.

“Our objective here is not only raise the level of awareness and consciousness of all police personnel on respect for human rights, but more importantly, to transform all personnel into Human Rights advocates,” Calderon said.

Highlighting the PNP observance of Human Rights Week was a symposium on International Humanitarian Law keynoted by Chairperson Purificacion Quisumbing of the Commission on Human Rights yesterday in Camp Crame .

During the forum, Quisumbing assured PNP officials of the speedy disposition of cases involving PNP personnel so as not to hinder administrative processes such promotion, schooling, and reassignment to key positions.

Quisumbing also assured PNP officials of the support of CHR in providing specialized training and education on human rights in different schooling programs of the PNP. She offered the availability of CHR instructors and trainors for these special training modules.

Other resource speakers in the symposium are Justice Leonor Ines Luciano, Chairperson of the Philippine National Red Cross International Humanitarian Law National Committee; Ms. Joeven Reyes, Program Coordinator of Sulong CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law); and Mr. Michael Rudiak of the International Committee of the Red Cross.