The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) came up Sunday with the rules of conduct, giving top priority to the protection of human rights, to be observed by government security forces enforcing the martial law in Maguindanao.

The set of rules, which was formulated on orders of PNP Chief, Director General Jesus Verzosa and AFP Chief of Staff, Gen. Victor Ibrado, is dubbed as “The Joint General Norms of Conduct of Police and Military Officers in the Field,” was based on the Police Operational Procedures of the PNP and the AFP Rules of Engagement.

The PNP and the AFP said the rules aim to ensure that military and police operations in the province are carried out with utmost caution consistent with constitutional principles.

As stated in the rules, “due process of law must be observed at all times to safeguard the protection of individual rights as guaranteed by the Constitution,” as it also reminded police and military personnel “that promotion and protection of human rights is primordial in any police operation.”

The rules also state that “all police and military operations must be conducted in such manner that incidental injury to civilians and collateral damage to government and private property are minimized.”

Verzosa said regardless of the type of functions to be performed or police operation to be conducted, "all police officers must comply and apply the general procedures as embodied in the Police Operational Manual."

He said all types of operational and undercover dispatches shall be recorded in the police blotter.

For his part, Ibrado explained that during actual operations, positive identification of targets is required prior to any engagement.

Other key points in the joint PNP-AFP rules are:

● Inter-unit coordination must be observed at all times especially by the team leaders of local police and National Support Units including hot pursuit operations;
● All police intervention operations must be conducted with a marked police vehicle and personnel in proper uniform led by a Police Commissioned Officer;
● Operating units must not use warning shots during any police intervention and all peaceful means must be utilized;
● Excessive use of force must be avoided, however, during armed confrontation, the police may use reasonable force to overcome the threat posed by suspects, but shall ensure that no innocent civilian is caught in the crossfire;
● Moving vehicles may not be fired upon, except when probable cause exists that suspects pose imminent danger of death to police or other persons; and
● After armed confrontation, the Officer-in-Charge shall secure and preserve the site of confrontation, evacuate the wounded, account for casualties and arrested persons for proper disposition while awaiting the SOCO.

Following the imposition of Proclamation No. 1959 “proclaiming a state of martial law and suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the province of Maguindanao,” joint police and military operations are now being conducted in area against armed groups and their leaders believed to be massing up in different areas in the province to resist government security forces and prevent authorities from taking over vital government functions that the local governments have failed to perform.

Joint police and military operations are also underway to arrest suspects involved in the massacre of 57 persons last November 23.

For purposes of conducting coordinated police and military security operations in the forthcoming 2010 national elections, the PNP and AFP have also established Joint Security Control Centers in the national, regional, provincial, city and municipal levels to ensure honest, orderly and peaceful elections.