Republic of the Philippines National Police Commission NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE OFFICE OF THE CHIEF, PNP PNP HUMAN RIGHTS AFFAIRS OFFICE Camp Crame, Quezon City NOTES ON CROWD CONTROL MANAGEMENT Rule 24. CIVIL DISTURBANCE MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS (Police Operational Procedures) SECTION 1. General Guidelines ‘The PNP units tasked to maintain peace and order shall not interfere with the holding of public assembly. To ensure public safety, a Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) contingent under the ‘command of a Police Commissioned Officer (PCO) with the rank of Police Senior Inspector or higher shall be detailed and stationed at least 100 meters away from the place where the public assembly is being held. In the absence of any permit from the LGU concemed, the PCO in command should exert effort in the demonstrators to disperse peacefully and vacate the public piace. rallies or demonstrations, the Ground Commander shall exhaust efforts through dialogue with the leaders/organizers for voluntary dispersal. In case of failure, orderly dispersal to include apprehension of those responsible is resorted to, SECTION 2. Specific Guidelines '@. When assistance is requested by the leaders! organizers, it shall be imperative for the CDM contingent to perform their duties while observing the rights of demonstrators. Further, the members of the CDM contingent dealing with the demonstrators shall be in prescribed uniform. . The CDM contingent shall not carry any kind of firearms but maybe equipped with baton or rot sticks, crash helmets with visor, ges masks, boots or ankle-high shoes with shin guards. ‘©. Tear gas, smoke grenades, water cannons, or any similar ant- rot device shall not be used unless the public assembly is attended by actual violence or serious threats of violence, or deliberate destruction of property. Maximum tolerance shail always be observed. 4. The organization and membership of CDM contingents, as well as their deployment and employment, shall be in accordance wit existing PNP rules and regulations ‘SECTION 3. CDM Operational Tasks a. lsolate the area 4. Establish area control b. Secure likely targets ©. Neutralize special threats ©. Control crowds SECTION 4. CDM Operational Approaches ‘a. The commitment of CDM contingent must be viewed as a last resort. Their role, therefore, should never be greater thari what is necessary under the circumstances. This does not mean though that the umber of troops employed should be minimized. Doubts concerning the number of troops required should normally be resolved in favor of deployment of large number since the presence of such large fumber may prevent the development of situations in which the use of excessive force would be necessary. A large reserve of troops should be maintained during civil disturbance operations. b. In selecting an operational approach to a civil disturbance situation, the Ground Commander and his personnel must adhere to the “minimum necessary force" principle. c. Efforts should be exerted to create the image of a restrained and woll-disciplined force, the sole purpose of which is to assist in the restoration of law and order. Further, while CDM contingent should be visible, any activity which might excite rather than calm should be avoided when possible. d. Consistent with the controlling principle “that he must use the minimum necessary force to ‘accomplish his mission’, the Ground Commander shall equip the CDM contingent only with rattan stick, shield, Kevlar helmet and handcufts.- All measures for the restoration of order shall respect human rights; - Be alert as to any preparations for unlawful demonstrations; - Be tolerant of peaceful, non-threatening assemblies, so as not to escalate the situation unnecessarily; - Where it is necessary to disperse a crowd, always leave a clear and obvious corridor for escape; - Any limitations on rights shail only be those determined by law; - Non-violent means shaill be attempted before the use of force; - Force shall be used only when strictly necessar - Force shall be used only for lawful law enforcement purposes; - Force applied shall be proportional to the law enforcement objectives; ~ Every effort shall be made to.limit damage and injury; - All wounded and traumatized persons shall be immediately cared for. BP 880: Section 10. Police assistance when requested -_It shall be imperative for law enforcement agencies, when their assistance is requested by the leaders for organizer, to perform their duties ‘always mindful that their responsibilty to provide proper protection to those exercising their right to Peaceably assemble and the freedom of expression primordial. Towards this end, law enforcement agencies shall observe the following guidelines: (@) Member of the law enforcement contingent who shall deel with the demonstrators shall be in complete uniform with their nameplates and units to which they belong displayed prominently on the front and dorsal parts of their uniform and must observe the policy of “maximum tolerance” as herein defined; {b) The members of the law enforcement contingent shall not carry any kind of firearms but ‘may be equipped with baton or riot sticks, shield, crash helmets with visor, gas masks, ‘boots or ankle high shoes with shin guards; {c) Tear gas, smoke grenades, water cannons, or any similar anti-riot device shall not be used unless the public assembly is attended by actual violence or serious threats of violence, or deliberate destruction of property 9. CROWD CONTROLICDM OPERATIONS (PNP Guidebook on Human Rights Based-Policing) ‘Any loss of emotional control, unprofessional conduct, and excessive use of force by members of PNP crowd control or civil disturbance management (CDM) units is highly counter-productive, causes negative perception towards the police organization, and may lead to violations of human rights. To prevent possible abuse of authority and human rights violations, police personnel should consider the following guidelines: @. Always use prescribed CDM protective gear snd equipmant to avoid physical injury or unnecessary harm to police personnel should the situation escalate. b. During the violent dispersal stage, only hit the resisting person(s) on fleshly or thick portions of the arms, torso, thighs and legs. Avoid hitting the head, face, eyes, neck, throat, collar bones, elbows, knees, spinal column, feet, ankles, genitals and other very sensitive body parts. Baton strikes to these parts may cause fong-term or permenent damage. ¢._ Always use proper control and handcuffing techniques. Never drag protestors by the hair or leg. Use two-man or four-man carry techniques to control and transport resisting protesters from the protest area to the mobile patrol car or police vehicle. 4. Police officers must use the Miranda Warning cards to inform arrestad protesters of their rights, ©. Police officers must take extra care in the conduct of arresis or in the use of non-lethal weapons: since minors and innocent civilians might be unnecessarily harmed or affected during dispersal or any other necessary police action. ALL PNP PERSONNEL MUST PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY “Serbisyong Mekatotohanan"