Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 15) — The National Capital Region Police Office on Thursday proposed to implement “Oplan Sita,” a random inspection on foreigners at checkpoints amid reports of abductions in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon.
NCRPO chief PBGen. Jonnel Estomo made the proposal during the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs’ probe on the alleged rise of kidnappings in the country targeting young women and Chinese nationals.
“Sana yung programa ko sa NCRPO, suportahan ninyo dahil tuloy-tuloy yung police visibility. Meron tayong mobile patrol, meron tayong motorcycle patrol,” said Estomo. “Ipapauso ko yung Oplan Sita’ para sa lahat ng foreign national. For example, may checkpoint, sa Kamuning, kapag nakitang Chinese ka, ‘ID, ID’.”
[Translation: I hope you’d support NCRPO’s program so we’d have continuous police visibility. We have mobile patrols and motorcycle patrols. I want to implement the Oplan Sita on foreign nationals. For example, at Kamuning checkpoint, if you are a Chinese, you’d be asked ‘where’s your ID?’]
For his part, Senator Bato dela Rosa, a former national police chief, said the NCRPO should already have conducted such a program. Estomo replied they are being careful not to cross the line of authority of the Bureau of Immigration.
But Immigration officer-in-charge Deputy Commissioner Fortunato Manahan Jr. said they don’t find any conflict with the proposed program of the NCR police.
“You are not prevented from doing that, because that’s your job, to maintain peace and order…Pero yung pagsita, for identification purposes, parang hinanapan mo lang ng ID yung tao [But when you call out, for identification purposes, make sure you’re not harassing the person in any way],” said Dela Rosa.
However, Senator Grace Poe raised concern over the random inspection proposal.
“Dapat may cause. Siguro yung rehistro ng sasakyan nila bakit walang plate number, tilt nang tilt, o nagka-cut ng traffic. Merong cause to check them. I’m sure you can find one, especially if you suspect them to be part of a syndicate,” said Poe.
[Translation: There should be a reason. Maybe you can check why the vehicle has no plate number, or why it keeps on tilting, or cutting through the traffic. There should be a cause to check on them. I’m sure you can find one, especially if you suspect them to be part of a syndicate.]
Dela Rosa, on other hand, said that policemen use their “instinct” when doing random inspections. He reminded Estomo that the program must still be done in accordance with the law.
