Press Release
September 30, 2008

Loren backs protection of suspects' rights

Sen. Loren Legarda said today that the rights of the accused in criminal cases must be protected at all times in keeping with the constitutional presumption of their innocence until proven guilty.

"I, therefore, fully support the move of newly installed Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Jesus Versoza to ban the prevalent practice of presenting apprehended suspects in criminal cases to the public and media," Legarda said.

According to the senator, members of media themselves got firsthand understanding of the "very humiliating experience" when some of them were arrested, handcuffed and "processed" by the police following the Manila Pen siege.

"By presenting suspects to media, the accused become public spectacles and the subject of ridicule. I am happy that the PNP leadership has finally made the banning of this practice a policy," Legarda added.

She said that other law enforcement agencies, like the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), must also adopt the policy which is already approved by Malacanang.

Nonetheless, Legarda said that the ban should not in any way hamper the role of media to inform the public, including those relating to crime and the names of those arrested.

She said that the public presentation of suspects is altogether different from the conduct of a police line-up, which affords witnesses the opportunity to identify suspects.

"The first serves only the vanity of arresting officers, while the latter - the police lineup - serves the end of justice," Legarda said, who asked the new PNP chief to spearhead the attraction of idealistic youths to join the police force.

"By recruiting the best among our youths, the PNP will fully attain its objective to have in place a truly professional, result-oriented police force," she said.

Legarda said the skills training and knowledge acquisition of policemen must be continuous to update them on the latest tools and techniques in crime prevention and solution.

"Our country's policeman-to-population ratio is not ideal, thus police visibility, which is a deterrent to crime, suffers," she said.

"Thus, budget permitting, we must increase our police force, train them well and arm them with the tools that would act as force-multiplier in their effectiveness as law enforcers."

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