When our police officers assumed their mandate, they took an oath to serve the Filipino people and protect our rights. As the motto of the Philippine National Police (PNP) commits, “to serve and protect.”

There is then no acceptable excuse when our police officers become the first ones to violate our laws and the people’s rights, especially the vulnerable. The recent incident involving a police officer, who allegedly raped a suspect’s 15-year old daughter should be strongly condemned. It is more alarming that, aside from the rising number of alleged deaths linked to the anti-drug campaign, the police officer in question claims that such violation is a standard practice among operatives. Given such assertions, the government must urgently address this incident and ensure that their promised internal cleansing leads to a better police force, and the entire government bureaucracy at large, strongly committed to uphold our laws and the rights of all. We have to stay focused in demanding accountability from the government at all cost. To this end, CHR-NCR is already investigating the case, as we equally remind the PNP to also observe due process in ascertaining the possible administrative and criminal charges of the said police officer. ###