Miranda warnings
translated to dialect

The Bacolod City Police Office has come up with a Hiligaynon version of the Miranda doctrine, in the hope of minimizing the number of human rights cases lodged against officers by suspects they have arrested, BCPO director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said yesterday.

The Miranda doctrine is a warning given by officers in apprehending suspects that states their right to remain silent and to legal counsel, as provided in Paragraph 1, Section 12, of the Article III of the Constitution.

Printed on a three-by-two-inch piece of paper, the warning must be read and explained to arrested suspects and has been printed in the dialect instead of English so people will understand it better, Quebrar said.

The warning says in English, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in court.”

It added, “You have the right to a lawyer of your choice. If you cannot afford one, the government will provide for you”.

SPO3 Enriquito Gochoco of Police Station 2 started distributing copies of the warning to his team members yesterday.

“We have to bring this with us everyday, just to make sure,” Gochoco said.*PP

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More cops assigned in field

Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar said yesterday that the Bacolod City Police Office is conducting a “downloading” of its office personnel, to improve police visibility and make officers become more effective in serving the public.

Quebrar said the move will entail re-assigning officers detailed in offices in the 10 police stations of the city.

The plan is part of Philippine National Police chief, director general Avelino Razon's transformation program, he added.

Quebrar said that re-assigning most of the officers to field work will help augment those in the precincts.

He said office work is less tedious than gathering evidence, talking to complainants, or chasing suspects and could be done even by only few people.

Putting more officers on the streets will also help deter thieves from staging heists, Quebrar said.*PP

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