Checkpoints used for kidnaps?

What will they think of next?

A ranking Philippine National Police (PNP) official warned the public yesterday against unauthorized checkpoints set up by unscrupulous policemen to shake down motorists.

PNP Deputy Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. issued the warning amid reports through the Internet that the so-called "goons in uniform" have devised a devious scheme using illegal checkpoints to snare their victims by "planting" evidence such as drugs in the flagged-down vehicles.

Ebdane expressed concern over at least two incidents where the car owners were allegedly arrested and locked up until they came across with wads of money in exchange for their freedom and non-filing of the case.

However, the office of Ebdane, who is concurrent chief of the National Anti-Kidnapping Task Force, viewed these incidents as abduction cases, saying the perpetrators were "kidnappers posing as policemen."

One of the alleged kidnapping cases divulged through the e-mail apparently by the victims themselves took place in the vicinity of Valle Verde in Pasay City, while the other occurred near the Uniwide Coastal City along Roxas Boulevard in Parañaque City.

One of the e-mail items was entitled "New SOP (standard operating procedure) Perpetrated by the Local Police."

To address the problem, Ebdane issued the two-page public advisory embodying a number of do’s and don’ts as guidelines for would-be victims in case they encounter such illegal checkpoints.

Ebdane clarified that temporary checkpoints are authorized only when a police operation is in progress, or when there is an ongoing search for a suspected criminal or fugitive from justice.

He also stressed that policemen manning the checkpoint should be in proper uniform complete with nameplates and identification cards pinned on their uniforms.

Checkpoints must be well-lighted with highly visible and clear signs indicating the conduct of searches in the checkpoint headed by an officer with the rank of inspector.

Ebdane said the driver and passengers of a vehicle flagged down at the checkpoint may remain in their seats, and should not obey orders to open the trunk of their car unless the authorities were armed with the proper warrant.

"We call on everyone to take action by reporting any suspicious incidents or movements to the police. In the absence of an official report or complaint filed by the victim, the PNP cannot act to address the problem," Ebdane said. — Christina Mendez