In an affirmation of his policy to use the number of arrests as a performance gauge, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III said receipts of arrests of criminals will be a major requirement for both the promotion and placement of assignments for police commanders.

Torre, however, clarified that the number of arrests he is referring to is not the service of arrest warrants issued by courts but the warrantless arrest under the Rule 113 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedures.

Under the provision, “A peace officer or a private person may, without a warrant, arrest a person: (a) When, in his presence, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit an offense; 

(b) When an offense has just been committed, and he has probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances that the person to be arrested has committed it; and 

(c) When the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment or place where he is serving final judgment or is temporarily confined while his case is pending, or has escaped while being transferred from one confinement to another.”

This means that those aspiring to be police commanders, or those who want to be promoted, must be active in running after criminal elements—which is seen as a reinforcement of the police quick response that Torre has committed to implement and institutionalize.

“How can you be a commander if you have not arrested criminals? That’s why I asked the DPRM (Directorate for Personnel and Records Management) to require all commanders first and all officers who are aspiring to be commanders to submit the receipt,” said Torre.

And what are those receipts if the arrests were made without warrant? Torre said it is through an affidavit of arrest.

“The receipt is the affidavit of arrest, that’s all, it’s simple. So to the rank and file, patrolman, corporal, sergeants and even lieutenants who want to be promoted, the big metrics of points will be the affidavit of arrest,” said Torre.

In asserting the new policy for promotion and placement, Torre emphasized that arresting criminals without an arrest warrant is one of the most challenging part of being a policeman.

CHR visit 

Shortly after the flag-raising ceremony at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Torre immediately went to the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) office in Quezon City to be the guest and honor and speaker for the agency’s flag-raising.

Torre’s visit to the CHR is seen as a start of good working relationship as the agency was repeatedly disregarded and mocked by some police leaders during the past administration over its repeated concerns on human rights violations during drug war.

Torre explained that he wants to explain to the CHR the parameters of his declaration that the number of arrests will serve as one of the barometers of police performance.

“I will explain to the CHR the metrics of this,” said Torre.

But he assured that police operations will be conducted within the bounds of the law and PNP procedures.