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The City Council of Manila has passed an ordinance requiring law
enforcers to coordinate with barangay officials before and after an
arrest or search operation.
Vice Mayor and Council Presiding Officer
Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso said the ordinance aims to
protect the rights of Manila citizens against possible abuses from
members of various law enforcement agencies.
Under the ordinance, any law enforcer may
conduct legitimate operations within the city but he must first
coordinate with the local barangay officials under whose
jurisdiction the area of operation concerned falls.
Once the operation has been conducted, Moreno
explained that the law enforcers concerned, having initial custody
and control of any evidence seized, “shall, immediately after
confiscation, physically inventory the same in the presence of the
accused or the person from whom such items were confiscated or his
representative or legal counsel.”
A barangay official must also be present to
witness and sign the copies of the inventory and receive a copy of
the inventory documents.
Covered by the said ordinance are members of the
Manila Police District, National Bureau of Investigation, Special
Action Force, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and other
similar units or agencies of the government.
As a counter-measure against those who may
sabotage or tip off the subject of such operation, Moreno said any
barangay official who receives information about the pending
operation and then assists the person to elude arrest will face an
imprisonment of from eight months to one year or a fine of P5,000 or
both, depending on the court’s discretion.
The same kind of punishment applies to any law
enforcer who violates the provisions of the said ordinance.
Moreno said the ordinance does not cover
offenses falling under the Human Security Act where warrantless
searches or arrests can be made.
-- Rommel C. Lontayao
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