PNP-HRAO wants all cops to download human rights mobile app

The PNP-Human Rights Affairs Office wants police officers to download the application “Know Your Rights” into their mobile phones to equip them with the right information and materials with which to advise citizens placed under police custody of their rights under the law.

On Monday, HRAO head Chief Superintendent Dennis Siervo said they will be asking Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa to issue a memorandum on the matter.

“We will be coming out with a memorandum directive, of course we have to seek the approval of the chief PNP, that this will be mandatorily downloaded to the smartphones of all PNP personnel,” Siervo said during the launch of the mobile app.

"Ang Miranda booklet nakakalimutan pero ang cellphone hindi," he said.

With the app, all human rights advisories and policies that the PNP crafted, including the contents of the "New Miranda Warning Pocket Card" with anti-torture reminders, can be downloaded and stored in all android smart phones.

Once installed in a mobile device, the app can be accessed anytime, even without internet connectivity, by the police , especially field officers engaged in the intensified campaign of the PNP against criminality, corruption and illegal drugs who are in far-flung areas.

The mobile application includes foreign translations of the Miranda warning in Korean, Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Taiwanese. The Miranda doctrine, which is usually recited in English, has also been translated to Filipino, Ilocano, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Cebuano, Tausug, Maranaw, and Chavacano.

“Itong foreign translations na ito were given to us by the Chinese Embassy, by the Japanese Embassy, so sila nag-provide and ‘yung translation sa  different Philippine dialects natin ang nagtranslate ay ‘yung Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, so official translation, hindi translation lang ng PNP,” said Siervo.

He said the app was initially made for android phones because based on their survey and assessment, 78 percent of their personnel are android users.

“They have smartphones which are android based and only about six to eight percent are using iPhones or iOS based,” he said.

“We intend to come out with an application based on iOS but ang focus namin ay kung ano ‘yung karamihan na ginagamit ng personnel namin. Later on we will be coming out with that,” he added.

He said even civilians can download and use the app.

“It works both ways, para din sa sibilyan to know their rights. Puwedeng pag naaresto kayo o ini-invite kayo for questioning, you will know what your rights are,” he said.

He added the public can also use the app to complain human rights abuses committed by police officers.

“May interactive portion ito, there is a field there which will accept feedback and we will be monitoring those messages or feedback that would be coming in. We will ask the human rights officers of that area, kasi in every region there is a human rights officer. We will just have to ask them to investigate this,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News