PNP mobile app to educate police, public on human rights

Chief Supt. Dennis Siervo shows media how the PNP mobile application ‘Know Your Rights’ can help educate police and the public on human rights. INQUIRER.NET / PATHRICIA ANN ROXAS

Not all Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel are trained in human rights, a ranking police official said Monday.

“Hindi lahat ng PNP personnel nakaka-avail ng training on human rights, like yung nasa far-flung areas,” said Chief Supt. Dennis Siervo, head of the PNP Human Rights Affairs Office (PNP-HRAO).

He said the situation prompted the PNP to launch a mobile application to educate policemen and the public on the rights of suspects or accused persons.

The app called “Know Your Rights” was launched Monday, Dec. 4, 2017, and can be downloaded for free from Google Playstore, Siervo said.

“Those in far-flung areas will be helped by this application,” he said.

The mobile app provides advisories from the PNP, the Miranda doctrine, anti-torture reminders, and the rights of arrested or detained individuals.

“It works both ways para sa civilians at personnel ng PNP,” Siervo said.

At the same time, Siervo said the public could report human rights violations using the app.

The application has a feedback mechanism where individuals may send their concerns.

The reports would immediately be verified by PNP field officers and addressed accordingly, Siervo said.

The Miranda warning included in the app has translations in various foreign and Filipino languages. /cbb