Roderos asks policemen to use Miranda  Doctrine during arrests

Police Regional Office-7 director Ronald Roderos has been distributing copies of the Miranda Doctrine to all policemen in the region to make them aware that any person being arrested or investigated are entitled to their basic rights as a human being.

In his campaign to promote human rights, Roderos said that there are many policemen, especially the new ones, who could not memorize the Miranda Doctrine anymore, or no longer recite this when arresting suspects.

Roderos said that he had been promoting the exercise of the Miranda Doctrine since his term as chief of the PRO-7 Police Community Relations Division, and he wanted to continue this every time he visits any police unit in Central Visayas.

PRO-7 had already printed an initial 3,000 copies and these were already distributed to the Bohol Provincial Police Office when Roderos visited there last week.

Provincial and city directors have been directed also to distribute copies of the Miranda Doctrine to all policemen under their command, said Roderos, adding that more copies were already given this to Cebu Provincial Police Office director Carmelo Valmoria for distribution.

A copy of the Miranda Doctrine is printed in a wallet-size white paper with the PRO-7 logo and should be read by the police at the time he arrests a suspect.

The Miranda Doctrine goes: “You have the right to remain silent. Whatever you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to talk to an attorney and have him present with you while you are being questioned. If you cannot afford to hire an attorney, one will be appointed to represent you before any questioning if you wish one.”

On the reverse side of the distributed copy is a Visayan version, which was a translation of a PNP legal officer, said Roderos.

He said that every policeman must have his copy of the Doctrine laminated so that he could carry this in his wallet all the time without being easily destroyed.

Roderos warned that he would conduct random checks to see if the policemen are bringing with them the copy of the Doctrine at all times.

He said that whenever a policeman effects an arrest without a warrant, he is required to read clearly and audibly the Miranda Doctrine to the arrested suspect.

This would show to the public that policemen in the region are protecting and promoting the human rights of the people. — Flor Z. Perolina/RAE