PNP evidence handling

Police standard operating procedures for handling evidence in sexual offenses
The PNP stresses that in sexual offences, the most important “trace evidence” is often
found on the persons involved, and that to avoid contamination, they should be treated in the
same way as a crime scene in the collection and preservation of evidence.1
Thus the Field Manual on Investigation of Crimes of Violence and Other Crimes (2011)
provides that police officers should:
1. Find out as much as possible about the crime before going to the scene and upon
arrival from the first responder and any other police officers already there, and get a
rough picture of the crime scene area and the incident itself.
2. Refer the woman or child victim immediately to the Women and Children Protection
Desk of their unit, for their handling.
3. Keep an action log. Note down the observations, and take photographs and video of the
crime scene and the evidence.
4. Cordon off the area or extend the existing cordon if necessary
5. Seek assistance from an expert such as a forensic pathologist or biologist, if necesseary
6. Search for and collect evidence, objects and reference samples, etc. relevant to the
crime investigation. Pay attention to the risk of contamination.
7. Write down reports such as continuous seizure reports and interrogation reports.
8. Check the crime scene before the cordon is lifted. 2
Police officers must ensure that different people collect and preserve evidence and
materials in different places, and that materials are well-packaged, and if from different scenes,
kept separate or stored in different rooms and handled by different people. 3
Police officers should take the victim(s) and suspect(s) to a doctor as soon as possible.
Police officers should also provide the doctor a rape kit, which contains an action logbook and
1
PNPM-DIDM-DS-9-2: PNP Field Manual on Investigation of Crimes of Violence and Other Crimes. Camp
Crame, Quezon City: PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management 45 (2011). Available at:
https://www.pnp.gov.ph/images/Manuals_and_Guides/DIDM/Field-Manual-on-Investigation-of-Crimes-of-
Violence-and-other-Crimes.pdf.
2
Crame, Quezon City: PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management 45-46 (2011). Available at:
3
equipment for preservation of evidence; information to make it easier to evaluate what evidence
should be preserved; and after the examination, help the doctor to take charge of the persons’
clothes and preserve the evidence generated by the examination.4 Police officers must also ensure
that injuries are documented. 5
Police officers are to look for the following types of evidence and materials in connection
with sexual offenses: (1) blood, saliva, semen; (2) fibres; (3) fingerprints; (4) hair; (5) footwear
prints and tyre marks; (6) articles of clothing, and (7) drugs. 6

The collection, handling and transportation of evidence should primarily be conducted by
the Scene of Crime Operation (SOCO) specialists of the Crime Laboratory, although first
responders or the investigators-on-case may collect evidence that might otherwise be destroyed
or contaminated if uncollected, in which case the collection should be properly handled and
documented.7 However, the collection and submission of standard samples for comparison must
be done by the Crime Laboratory. 8
The Field Manual on Investigation of Crimes of Violence and Other Crimes (2011)
provides the following for the collection and preservation of biological materials:
1. Use protective gloves, but avoid touching individual smears. Change gloves after
handling each kind of material and otherwise as necessary.
2. Use disposable equipment for preliminary tests and collection of trace evidence.
3. Cover surfaces where materials are to be placed with protective paper.
4. Keep victims’ and suspects’ clothes separate.
5. Avoid coughing or sneezing on evidence/materials.

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6. In packing biological materials
i. Paper packaging must be used for all biological materials or materials that are
soiled with biological matter.
i. Plastic bags are not recommended on account of residual moisture. Separate

outer packages are to be used for trace evidence and for clothes from persons
involved.
ii. Do not mix materials/samples from different people in the same parcel.
iii. Fold the opening of the bag twice and seal with tape. Envelopes should also be
sealed with tape.
7. Special precautions
i. Make an explicit note if a person from whom material has been collected is
suspected of having an infectious disease
ii. Prevent contamination by avoiding all contact between collected evidence and
clothes seized from people.
iii. Packages containing collected materials must not be opened until the
examination in the laboratory is to commence, except when moist or wet material
must be dried out under normal room conditions. 9
9
Crame, Quezon City: PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management 59-60 (2011). Available at:

PNP evidence handling

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Police standard operating procedures for handling evidence in sexual offenses

4. Cordon off the area or extend the existing cordon if necessary

5. Seek assistance from an expert such as a forensic pathologist or biologist, if necesseary

8. Check the crime scene before the cordon is lifted. 2

3. Cover surfaces where materials are to be placed with protective paper.

4. Keep victims’ and suspects’ clothes separate.

5. Avoid coughing or sneezing on evidence/materials.

i. Plastic bags are not recommended on account of residual moisture. Separate

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