Revisit 'Oplan Bakal Sita', police urged
July 26, 2022 at 3:56 pm,
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By Alwen Saliring
A LOCAL legislator is urging the local police to review the procedure in conducting the "Oplan Bakal Sita" to ensure that the individual's rights are preserved while performing their duties in maintaining peace and order in the city.
Councilor Jose Pepe Abbu Jr. said this at the height of the series of crimes that happened in the city such as shooting incidents and other forms of criminality.
During the regular session on Monday, July 25, Abbu shared an experience where he witnessed an individual being arrested for disobedience after refusing to be frisked by the police.
He clarified that the intention of the operation is good to check if a person is carrying a firearm and to possibly deter crimes but it should be done in balance of protecting the privacy of the person.
"As an advocate of law, ang comment nako sa Oplan Kapkap Bakal is you cannot just search a person. I find it wrong and some people might not agree on me on this,"Abbu said.
Abbu clarified the grounds to effect a warrantless arrest is when the crime has been committed in the presence of the police officer or when the law enforcer has valid suspicion based on personal knowledge that a crime is being committed or the person will possibly commit a crime.
"This operation is an important tool to deter or prevent the commission of a crime. Siguro ang manner or procedure ma-revisit aron dili maabusahan ug walay legal problems,"Abbu said.
Abbu also urged the authorities to strengthen police visibility especially in areas where people usually flocked such as restobars, among others, and improve intelligence gathering to curb criminality.
Photo by Cdeo City Council