Police-lawyers have virtually been turned as call center agents as the Philippine National Police (PNP) has activated a police hotline that would cater to the legal questions of its personnel manning checkpoints across the country.

Dubbed as Project Alert 24/7, Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said Monday the hotline would be based at the Office of the Chief PNP in Camp Crame and will be manned by police-lawyers of the PNP Legal Service on a 24-hour basis.

“These are for queries on legal matters and are operational on a 24-hour basis where police lawyers are on hand and ready to answer anytime legal questions posed by policemen in the field,” said Verzosa.

The official explained that the program is designed to minimize potentially problematic but otherwise avoidable legal technicalities and issues that may confront policemen in the field who are conducting law and security operations to enforce the Omnibus Election Code in the runup to the national and local elections on May 10.

“This program aims to give our policemen in the field timely and well-explained legal advice to boost their confidence in implementing the myriads of laws and provisions in the Omnibus Election Code and Comelec Resolutions as well as to remind them to always observe human rights,” said Verzosa.

“This is because the PNP adheres to the principle that fair and just implementation of the law strengthens our position in ensuring a peaceful and orderly election on May this year,” he added.

The hotline, Verzosa said, became operational over the weekend.

As of Jan. 10, police and military personnel had put up at least 3,500 checkpoints nationwide for the implementation of the gun ban. This number is aside from the mobile checkpoints recently ordered by Verzosa.