Cops get human rights course

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) chief Director Geary Barias disclosed yesterday that a seminar on human rights will be held today for the more than 6,000 policemen and soldiers that would secure the Batasan Pambansa complex in Quezon City during President Arroyo’s 8th State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28.

Barias said the policemen and soldiers would take a human rights seminar at the Quezon City Police District headquarters in Camp Karingal, Quezon City, to ensure that anti-riot units would respect the rights of demonstrators that would hold protest actions.

“As far as the Metro Manila police are concerned, we are raring to go with regards to our security deployment on President Arroyo’s SONA,” said Barias.

He said Human Rights Commissioner Laila de Lima would conduct the seminar to show that policemen adhere to human rights, particularly during protest rallies.

“We want to avoid violent confrontation with the protesters and the seminar would remind anti-riot cops and soldiers of our commitment to human rights,” said Barias.

The Metro police chief said they would also encourage human rights observers to record the protest rallies with video cameras to determine whether it is the government security personnel or the rallyists who initiate violence.

“We have no problem on the deployment of human rights observers in the rally,” said Barias, hoping that the presence of the observers would prevent both sides from instigating violence.

Barias said that as of 1 p.m. yesterday no rally permit was granted by the local governments of Quezon City and Manila.

He said the police would strictly implement the “no permit, no rally’ policy.

Barias urged the leaders of the anti-government demonstrators to meet with police officials to ensure a peaceful and orderly demonstration. – With Jun Elias