By Chito A. Chavez
With the decision of President Duterte to return the Philippine National Police in the war against drugs, the Department of Interior and Local Government has urged the public to report any abuses or wrongdoings committed by policemen to the People’s Law Enforcement Board in their localities.
DILG officer-in-charge Catalino S. Cuy said the PLEB is a check and balance mechanism organized on the city and municipal levels giving ordinary citizens the power to complain against law enforcers who abuse their authority.
“Early on, the President has emphasized that while he supports the police, he will not tolerate rogue policemen in the Philippine National Police. I, therefore, encourage the public not to hesitate in reporting any abuse or wrongdoing committed by cops to the PLEB,” Cuy said.
“If anyone is hesitant to report abuses to police authorities, they can instead complain to the PLEB which is a civilian agency located in every local government unit in the country,” he added.
Section 43 of Republic Act No. 6975 or the “DILG Act of 1990” provides for the creation of PLEBs in every city or municipality to conduct hearings and adjudication of citizens’ complaints against uniformed members of the PNP.
Cuy said PLEBs all over the country are powerful agencies that have the authority to discipline policemen.
Among these powers are investigating and adjudicating all administrative charges formally filed with, or referred to it, against any PNP member, and to impose corresponding penalties that range from withholding of privileges, restriction to specified limits, suspension or forfeiture of salary or fine, demotion in rank of not more than one rank, or dismissal from the service of the erring policeman.
The PLEBs are also empowered to administer oaths, summon witnesses, and require the production of documents, records, books, and the like under the subpoena duces tecum.