The Philippine National Police (PNP) assured on Wednesday that all arrests made under its “metric system” directive will be conducted in accordance with the law and uphold the rights of the apprehended individuals.
This comes after the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) raised concerns about PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III’s emphasis on arrest numbers as part of the metric system.
Torre clarified that the directive is not about encouraging shortcuts or abuses in the name of higher arrest counts.
“We are not encouraging illegal shortcuts [or] measuring success solely by the number of arrests,” Torre said. “What we are advocating for is genuine, lawful action. Everything we do is within the ambit of the law,” he added.
Torre said his directive aims to boost enthusiasm and ensure fair, efficient law enforcement, particularly in the PNP’s anti-drug campaign.
The PNP emphasized they will strictly adhere to constitutional standards, the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, and operational procedures.
Torre explained the directive is not meant to create competition over arrest numbers, but to motivate police to act swiftly and fairly in the performance of their duties.
