MANILA – The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) sounded alarm over Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Major General Nicolas Torre III’s directive that the number of drug-related arrests is part of the metrics for police personnel’s performance.
According to CHR commissioner Beda Epres, Torre should release a clear directive that includes a provision that arrests will not be based on numbers but on the right procedure for arresting people.
“Medyo naalarma po kami sa Commission on Human Rights doon sa statement na iyon. Ang panuntunan natin is hindi po dapat pwedeng maging sukatan ang paramihan ng huli,” Epres said.
He added: “Ang dapat na maging sukatan ay tama ba yung proseso ng panguhuli. Yung tao bang iyon ay nagko-commit ng crime at kaya siya nahuli?”
Torre, during a speech on Monday, said that included in the police’s performance metrics is the number of drug-related arrests made.
Torre said arrests are done under the law and that if the suspect thinks he was arrested unjustly, there are government agencies that can help him.
But, Epres said there should be a clear directive since most of the people arrested belong to the marginalized sectors that usually have no access to legal remedies.
“Kung ang ating sukatan ay numbers, baka po paramihan lang talaga just for the sake na makapag-comply sa directive,” Epres said.
“’Yun po ang very alarming. Open po siya sa abuse. ‘Yun po ang nakakatakot,” he added./PN
