PNP translating Miranda Rights into 4 foreign languages

MANILA, Philippines - One’s right to remain silent and to have a lawyer, among other things, are now being translated into four languages by the Philippine National Police (PNP).

The PNP took the initiative to translate the Miranda Rights into Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese and Korean to help the foreigners understand their rights when arrested for certain violations.

Sr. Supt. Dennis Siervo, officer-in-charge of the PNP’s Human Rights Affairs Office (HRAO), said the PNP leadership decided to translate the Miranda Rights into four languages since some foreigners accosted for violations could not understand English or Filipino.

“The translation is in compliance with the international human rights law to ensure individual in conflict with the law will be able to understand his right as provided for under the Miranda Rights,” Siervo said.

He said the PNP is coordinating with the embassies of the four countries.

“The Korean translation is already completed, the Chinese version is nearing completion and the next are the Japanese and Taiwanese translations,” Siervo said.

Siervo admitted most policemen do not understand any of the four languages but they will be recorded and printed versions of the translations downloaded in cellular phones.

“Our policemen could download them through their smartphones and show or play them to the foreigners during their arrest,” he said.

He said the program could be found on the website of the HRAO – www.hrao.pnp.gov.ph – which anyone can download.

Siervo said the PNP is developing a mobile phone application for quick translation of the Miranda Rights that can be uploaded or downloaded on smartphones to allow foreigners to interact.

He stressed the project would be beneficial to both the police and the foreigner involved in conflict with the law.

“There were cases in the past when the charges filed against some suspects were dismissed due to failure of the police to inform the person of basic rights,” Siervo explained,

Under the Miranda Rights, arresting policemen should inform the person being arrested of his rights.

Siervo said the Miranda rights are also translated into Filipino, Bisaya and Ilokano.