Human rights desk officers undergo seminar-workshop on rights-based policing

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union, Nov. 23 (PIA) — Some 79 Human rights desk officers (HRDO) from the Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1) headquarters and the four police provincial offices underwent a 2-day seminar-workshop on human rights focusing on the practice of rights-based policing spearheaded by the Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO) under Police Supt. Perfecto Pagador held recently at the Concord Building.

The seminar-workshop aimed to support the 10-Point Action Plan of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Nicanor Bartolome and the program thrust of institutionalizing rights-based policing of PRO 1 Regional Director Police Chief Supt. Franklin Jesus B. Bucayu.

An overview of the PNP Human Rights Development Program was presented by SPO2 Mayla Perla Gavina followed by the following speakers and their respective topics: Executive Judge Ethelwolda Jaravata – the legal and regulatory framework of policing in the Philippines, anti-torture law (RA9745), international humanitarian law (RA9851) and rights of person arrested, detained and under custodial investigation (RA 7438): Police Supt. Gerardo Dia, Deputy Chief of PRO1 comptrollership division – rights-based policing through competency and professionalism (Human Rights in the Police Context), and the PNP human rights desk operations manual: and Police Supt. Gaston Cafongtan, Chief of the PRO1 firearms section – PNP police operational procedures.

Jane Cortez of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR1) discussed the basic principles and frameworks of human rights while Atty. Vermin Suen, deputy chief of the legal office discussed matters relating to arrest, use of force, detention and torture/treatment.

The participants are the police officers from PRO1 headquarters, La Union, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, and Ilocos Norte. (ANL/EMR-PIA 1 La Union with reports from PRO1)