The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) expressed concern on the new police general’s order of increased number of arrests saying the order is a historically dangerous performance metric on the Philippine National Police (PNP),.
The national human rights institution said P/Gen. Nicolas Torres III’s directive for more arrests may not protect the populace but violate their rights.
“The Commission reminds authorities that highlighting number of arrests as a performance metric may unintentionally pressure officers to prioritize quantity over quality,” it said.
In his first media briefing after assuming top command of the country’s police force, Torre said: “Kasama sa metrics natin ang number of arrests, paramihan, sige. Paramihan!” Torre said.
The CHR however reminded the new police chief the approach leads to violations of rights.
“Historically, such frameworks have risked incentivizing shortcuts, abusive, or arbitrary practices, which undermine human rights and erode public trust in law enforcement,” the CHR said.
Several of Torre’s predecessors as chief PNP have been named in complaints filed before the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.
Retired police generals such as now-senator Ronald dela Rosa, Debold Sinas and others are being accused of implementing the Rodrigo Duterte government’s so-called war against drugs that have killed at least 6,000 civilians.
The Commission said effective policing is best measured not by the volume of arrests but by the quality of investigations, respect for due process, and the consistent upholding of legal and ethical standards.
“We encourage the PNP leadership to issue clear, rights-based guidelines for performance evaluation, ensuring that any operational targets do not compromise civil liberties or lead to discrimination, especially against vulnerable sectors who are prone to abuse due to lack of access to remedies,” it said. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
