Philippine National Police - Official Website - BATO ECHOES SOP IN HANDLING SURRENDERERS ~ HUMAN RIGHTS PROMOTIONS

Friday, January 20, 2017

Philippine National Police - Official Website - BATO ECHOES SOP IN HANDLING SURRENDERERS

Friday, January 20, 2017 Herbert Curia - Promoter No comments

From the Website of PNP Philippine National Police
links: http://www.pnp.gov.ph/news-and-information/news/702-bato-echoes-sop-in-handling-surrenderers

Philippine National Police - Official Website - BATO ECHOES SOP IN HANDLING SURRENDERERS

PNP Chief, Police Director General Ronald M Dela Rosa has issued Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to be observed by PNP Units in handling voluntary illegal drugs personality surrenderers and assistance for their rehabilitation.

This is consistent with the “declared policy of the state to pride mechanisms or measures to assist and re-integrate into society individuals who are victims of illegal drug abuse or drug dependence through sustainable programs of treatment and rehabilitation.”

The SOP prescribed guidelines to all PNP units in handling and processing drug surrenderers and to assist them in their rehabilitation.

In the PNP SOP Number 01-2016, general guidelines to all Duty Officers in the handling of drug personality surrenderers are indicated as follows:

Ensure that the person who surrendered is doing it voluntarily without duress
The process in handling should be recorded through video or captured through photo
Immediately conduct body search on the surrenderer to determine presence of any deadly weapon or dangerous drugs
Personal data should be recorded in the logbook of surrenderers
The surrenderer should be referred to the Investigation Section to take the voluntary confession to be signed by the surrenderer and their counsel or by any other counsel except the lawyer of the office where they surrendered to avoid perceived conflict of interest
Turn over to the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) a minor surrenderer. The WCPD should endorse the minor surrenderer to the local social welfare office in accordance with RA No. 9344, or Justice Welfare Act of 2006.

The Duty Officer must also subject the surrenderer for medical examination to be conducted in any government hospital and they should not be hand cuffed.

“The voluntary surrender is not an assurance that they will not be subjected to drug law enforcement operation when they engage in the illegal drug activity after their voluntary surrender”, the Chief PNP said.

Assistance to drug personalities for rehabilitation include the referral of the drug surrenderer to the PCR section to coordinate with LGU/HOH/HADACs on the conduct of screening in order to determine if there’s a risk to other behavioral conditions and other morbidities.

A copy of the SOP No. 01-2016 has been filed with the UP Law Center to comply with the requirements of Executive Order No. 292 or the Revised Administrative Code of 1987 and will take effect 15 days thereof. (PNP-PIO)