Court bars policemen not wearing uniform

The Office of the Regional Trial Court Executive Judge would no longer entertain policemen who are on official business in civilian clothes.

Executive Judge Fortunato de Gracia, the presiding judge of RTC Branch 15, has implemented the order to uphold the dignity of the police uniform, especially when policemen transact official business with government offices.

“The idea is to wear your uniform proudly at any time you do official business…you are more respected with the uniform,” De Gracia said.

Signs about wearing the official uniform have been put up outside his courtroom and outside the criminal section at the Palace of Justice to guide policemen.

Yesterday, De Gracia’s staff called up police stations - particularly those outside Cebu City such as the Carcar, Naga, San Fernando and Minglanilla police stations - to formally disseminate the new policy.

De Gracia, whose court handles drug cases, said another reason why he decided to implement the policy is the way some policemen dress that they even look more rugged than the suspects they bring to court.

“Some policemen even look more shabby than the suspects,” he said, adding that there are even times when the court’s staff even mistook policemen for suspects, something that he feels is a form of disrespect to the court.

De Gracia said he is just testing the policy in his own court but would not hesitate to implement it in the entire Palace of Justice should policemen refuse to heed the policy.

He said that when he was an officer of the law prior to entering the judiciary, he always went to court with his complete uniform. — Joeberth M. Ocao/LPM