Palace downplays subpoena power may lead to abusive police force

March 10, 2018

Malacanang allayed concern on Saturday over the power granted to the police leadership to issue subpoena.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the subpoena powers were only bestowed to the director general of the Philippine National Police, and the director and deputy director for administration of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group,

He said the "suboena power is not automatic" that any person who would fail to appear before the PNP could lead to the person's detention.

Roque, a lawyer, said that the police officer who issued the subpoena still needs to go to the court to petition for the detention of the person who refused to honor the subpoena.

Thus, he said there was no basis on concerns that this new law could lead to a more "abusive" police force.

Human Rights Watch researcher Carlos Conde has said the new law granting authority to selected PNP officers to issue subpoena was worrisome as it expands the power of an already abusive police force.

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed on March 1 Republic Act No. 10973 giving the PNP chief and the CIDG head and his deputy the power to administer the oath and issue subpoena and subpoena duces tecum in relation to their investigation. Celerina Monte/DMS