NCRPO: Cops can’t frisk car occupants

MANILA, Philippines - Mounting complaints against police officers manning checkpoints in Metro Manila have prompted the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to issue anew its rule banning the frisking of vehicle occupants.

Chief Superintendent Dennis Peña, NCRPO deputy director for operations, said police officers at a checkpoint may flag down a vehicle and check it for banned items such as explosives and firearms, but the items must be “in plain view.”

Police officers “should not ask the driver and occupants of the vehicles to move out and frisk them,” he said in an interview yesterday.

Peña issued his clarification following complaints they received during a meeting with barangay officials and civilians to get their cooperation for the NCRPO’s proposed measures to secure “places of convergence” in the runup to the holidays.

A barangay chairman in Taguig said that police officers who flagged him down at a checkpoint asked him to get out of his vehicle and frisked him for banned items.

Peña said frisking vehicle owners and occupants is a “no-no” under the police operating procedures issued by the Philippine National Police. He called on all victims to file a formal complaint with the NCRPO.

He added that all police officers manning checkpoints should be in proper uniform and there should be a sign posted nearby as well as a team leader.