QUEZON City, Philippines (Eagle News Service, May 14) – Last year, the City Council of Quezon City issued an ordinance that allows ordinary and civilian citizens to conduct an arrest against criminals and persons who were violating the law.
Said ordinance empowered citizens in having a direct say in ensuring the peace and order in their city.
But how can an
The Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure provides the proper and legal method of citizens’ arrest.
First, when making the arrest, an ordinary citizen must inform the person to be arrested of the intent to arrest him or her. Second, the citizen arresting the other person should let the other person know of the cause of the arrest.
Said procedure admits to several exemptions. There is no need to inform the person to be arrested of the intent to arrest him or her as well as the cause of his or her arrest if he or she is actually in the process of committing the crime or is immediately pursued after the commission of said crime.
Said exemptions also apply to escapees.
Also a citizen is precluded from informing the one to be arrested if said person resisted the arrest as well as if such an act will imperil the one making the arrest.
(ENS, written by Jay Paul Carlos, additional research by Aimee Mendoza)