In the line of duty: Archival wants lawyer for cops

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Council has asked Mayor Michael Rama to assign city lawyers to help members of the city police facing legal suits in the performance of their duties.

The City Council passed a resolution sponsored by Councilor Nestor Archival.

“In the performance of their duty, some of the PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel who make arrest and seizure succumb to legal implication from the person, group or band that they arrested or owners of properties seized,” the resolution read.

The records at the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office show that five police officers are facing administrative complaints as of May 2015. The number, however, is lesser compared to nine in the same period last year.

CCPO does not have a statistics yet on the number of criminal cases filed against police officers.

Archival, chairman of the committee on peace and order, said the city government should help police officers since they are protecting the city. He said they are the ones maintaining the peace and order in the city.

“Given the volume of cases and despite the Philippine National Police assigning lawyer to defend members of the police force of Cebu City Police Office there is still a need for the services of a lawyer to assist and or defend members if they face any legal battle in the performance of their duty,” he said.

Archival said the city should step up to stop the “predicament,” stressing that any local government unit can extend support to the entity that is preserving tranquility in the city.

“This problem (volume of cases) will result to ineffectiveness of the performance of their function and/or duties which greatly affects the maintenance of peace and order situation of the City of Cebu,” he said.

There are at least 1,500 policemen assigned in the city.

City lawyer Jerone Castillo said the city has over 12 lawyers at present.

“We have been assisting police officers in their legal battles,” he said.

Castillo said he has not been informed on the resolution passed by the City Council. He, however, said that he will look into the resolution.

“Wala ta kahibaw if there is a need to add city lawyers. So, ato usang study-han ang proposal since dako ni og tabang sa atong police officers,” he said. —  /FPL (FREEMAN)