Ethics

MODULE ON ETHICS
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This module is exclusively intended for the BS Criminology students of Southern Peninsula College of Labason,
Zamboanga del Norte. No portion of this module may be copied or reproduced by any other means without prior written
permission of the management. SPENC
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ronald Beradio Eran is a constant honor from his elementary years and
graduated as valedictorian and with honors in his secondary years. He finished his
Bachelor of Science in Criminology at Jose Rizal Memorial State University - Tampilisan
Campus, Tampilisan, Zamboanga del Norte and a proud registered criminologist with
84.30% Board Examination Rating, self-reviewed. In his desire of teaching, as required
by the CHED, he is currently enrolled his Master’s degree, Master of Science in Criminal
Justice with specialization in Criminology at Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Main
Campus, Dapitan City. He already completed the academic requirements and presently in
the process of making his Thesis as the final requirement of the degree program.
Just to develop and enhance his knowledge in criminology profession, he attended
training for faculty development in criminology at Professional Academy of the
Philippines at Naga City, Cebu last April 26 – May 12, 2019, and he is now presently
connected in Southern Peninsula College of Labason, Zamboanga del Norte.
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DEDICATION
This humble work is lovingly and heartily dedicated to my family. To my wife
ROSE MAE, to my father NARCISO, to my mother ELMA, to my brother RONIE, to
my sister ANNABEL, and lastly to my nephews AARON and RAILY.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My earnest gratitude as the author of this module to the following persons, whose
invaluable assistance cannot put as under:
To Dr. Romeo E. Delgado, the School President and Ma’am Loida B. Delgado,
Vice President for Finance of Southern Peninsula College of Labason, Zamboanga del
Norte, thank you for the opportunity. I am forever grateful to be part in your institution.
To the School Librarian, my heartfelt gratitude is also extended for the warm
accommodation and for allowing us to borrow some books.
Likewise, to all my friends, special someone and relatives for some words of
encouragement, my gratitude is extended.
Lastly, forever grateful to the guidance of our Father Almighty, for the wisdom
and knowledge.
RONALD BERADIO ERAN, RCrim, MSCrim (CAR)
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PREFACE
This module wishes to provide some important ideas and concepts related to
Ethics. You may learn something from this. Much effort had been exerted and spent
sleepless nights just to come up with this humble work.
This is designed for students who are enrolled Ethics subject especially the BS
Criminology Students. This covers the history of ethics and its definition, and the
importance of ethics. The law, human acts, classifications of action and others are also
tackled in this manuscript. As a human being, we ought to know the art of correct living.
It implies order and harmony of parts in a given whole. And as a future law enforcement
officer, who is bound to protect and serve the people, you are expected to be a man above
all men in a given society. You must possess the highest standard of morality in your
given profession ―Law Enforcement‖.
Furthermore, Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards
for Public Officials and Employees, is also covered in this Module.
RBE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
PREFACE
Unit 1
INTRODUCTION
 History of Ethics
 Definition of Ethics
 Importance of Ethics
 Ethics and Law
 Essential Attributes of Human Acts
 Kinds of Human Acts
 Classification of Actions
 Classifications of Voluntariness
 The Modifiers of Human Acts
 Classification of Passions
 Action and Emotion
 Rights and Duties
Unit 2
 Ethics as Value Education
 Definition of Values
 Personal Values
 Types of Values
 Moral Values
 Prudence
 Justice
 Variations of Justice
 Fortitude
 Temperance
 The Highest Value - GOD
Unit 3
 Law Enforcement Code of Ethics
 The Canons of Police Ethics
 Professional Police Principles
 Police Officer’s Creed and Stand on Basic Issues
 Professional Conduct and Ethical Standards
 Customs and Traditions
 Police Officer’s Pledge
Unit 4
 Republic Act No. 6713
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ASSESSMENT
GLOSSARY
REFERENCES
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Unit 1
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

 Determine the concept of ethics, its definition and importance.
 Discuss the difference between ethics and law.
 Acquire basic knowledge on ethics as human being and as a future law enforcer.
OVERVIEW ON THE HISTORY OF ETHICS
Ethics was derived from the ancient Greek ―ethikos‖, meaning ―arising from
habit‖. It is a major branch of philosophy which focuses on the study of value or quality.
It covers the analysis and employment of concepts such as good, evil, right, wrong, and
responsibility.
Why a person, any person should consider ethics as an important integral part of
his or her life? To better answer this question, let us the study the origin of the word
―Ethics‖ for further information and appreciation.
Five (5) Significant Periods of History about Ethics
1. The Classical Period

2. The Middle Age
3. The Early Modern Period
4. The Nineteenth Century
5. The Contemporary Period
The Classical Period
Qualities of mind during this period according to Jones, et. al:
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 A concern with this world and its affair, an interest in nature and in the natural
man.
 A thorough rationalism, a respect for evidence, as evidence was understood in
those times.
 Most important of all, curiosity.
We summed up these qualities of mind in the term ―Humanism‖.
Philosophers and their Principal Works:
1. Plato The Republic

2. Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics
3. Epicuros Letter of Herodotus
Letter of Menaeceus
Principal Doctrines
The Middle Ages
This period is considered to be a study of continuity and discontinuity. It is

termed ―Continuity‖ because of the philosophers were steeped in classical doctrine. A
good example is Thomas Aquinas who put the teaching of Aristotle within the
framework of Christianity.
On the other hand, it is termed ―Discontinuity‖ in the sense that religion has come
into the picture. Philosophy such as Ethics and Metaphysics were interwoven with
Theology.
1. Boethius His Consolation of Philosophy

2. Augustine The Happy Life
The City of Man
The City of God
3. St. Bernard of Clairvaux The Steps of Humility
4. Thomas Aquinas Summa Theologica
The Early Modern Period
The philosophy that develops during this period is the following:

 A shift from the supernatural from natural, temporal and secular.
 An attempt to balance the supernatural and the temporal, as many of the
philosophers were not really weaned from the religion of the past.
 The rise of modern science specially physics.
 The changes brought about by the industrial and social revolutions towards the
end of the period.
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1. Nicolo Machiavelli The Prince

2. Thomas Hobbes Leviathan
3. Benedict Spinoza Ethics
4. John Locke Essay Concerning Human Understanding
5. Joseph Butler Sermons
6. David Hume Picture of Human Nature
7. Emmanuel Kant Lecture on Ethics
The Nineteenth Century
Several tendencies characterized this period:

 Utilitarianism with the level of ―greatest good to the greatest number‖.
 The scientist theory. Although this started in the previous century but many
philosophers apply it with ethical questions during this period like Bentham.
 The individual versus the state.
 Skepticism as to the place of ethics in metaphysics, that is if ethics can only be a
chapter in metaphysics or not.
 Irrationalism: in contrast with the ―man is a rational animal‖ of Aristotle,
Aquinas, and their followers.
1. Jeremy Bentham An Introduction to the Principles of

Morals and Legislation
2. George Wilhem Friedrich Hegel The Philosophy of History
3.Arthur Schopenhauer The World as Will and Idea
4. John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism
5. Soren Kierkegaard Either/or
6. Friedrich Nietzsche Sounding Out Idol
7. Francis Herbert Bradley Ethical Studies
The Contemporary Period
The philosophers of this period exhibit a diversity of trends in moral beliefs. For
and against the scientific theory, logical positivism, return of belief of man as sinful,
existentialism with its own diverse spokesman.
1. Sigmund Freud Civilization and its Discontents

2. John Dewey Reconstruction in Philosophy
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3. G.E. Moore Principia Ethica
4. Paul Tillich Systematic Theology
Theology of Culture
5. Jean Paul Sartre Being and Nothingness
Alfred Jules Ayer Language, Truth and Logic
Definition of Ethics
As a field of study, ethics is a branch of philosophy which studies the principles of

right and wrong in human conduct. Right or wrong are qualities assigned to actions,
conduct, and behavior. As such, ethicists inquire into the correctness of such acts as
promise keeping, truth telling, integrity, deception, and compassion. Good and bad, on
the other hand, are qualities that characterize ends, goals, and purposes. As such, ethicists
inquire into the reasons for living and working; the goals that should be pursued in order
to lead a successful life; and the purposes that should motivate people in their life choices
(Porter, 1980).
Other definitions of Ethics:
 The science of the morality of man.

 The study of human motivation, and ultimately of human rational behavior.
 Morality
Ethics outlines theories of right or wrong, morality translate these theories

into action. Therefore, morality is nothing else but it is a doing of ethics.
Ethics as a term is also used to signify specific connotations such as:
1. The theory that explains the worth or property of an act on the basis of the values
inherent in such an act.
2. The analysis of statements or arguments used in support of a virtuous behavior or,
conversely in denouncing an immoral one.
3. The inquiry into the nature of morality and the search for the morally good life;
and
4. The characterization of an identifiable group that shares, oral values or traits, such
as ―Christian ethics, utilitarian ethics, or unethical behavior.
Importance of Ethics
 Indispensable knowledge.
 Without moral perception, man is only an animal.
 Without morality, man as rational being is a failure
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Moral Integrity is the only true measure of what man ought to be. The most
successful professional is nothing unless he too is morally upright. Thus, the philosophers
speak of Ethics as the ―only necessary knowledge‖.
Morality is the foundation of every human society. Without civic morality,
communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value. Every culture
admits the importance of morality as a standard of behavior. When the moral foundations
of a nation are threatened, society itself is threatened.
Ethics and Law
Legal history confirms that customary ethics, rather than law have been the prime
source of social conformity. For instance:
1. The Code of Hammurabi (1726-1686 BC) did not in essence introduce new
rules but merely reaffirmed prevailing customs.
2. Plato in his Republic put little emphasis on laws per se and more on the
development of a polis – a perfect city – where laws would be unnecessary.
Leaders of the polis were expected to be ―men of gold‖, endowed with collective
rationality and wisdom.
3. The Common Law that emerged under the Norman rule essentially to control
―Ruffians‖.
4. The practice of Chivalry, common among the English noble men at the time,
needed no legal support because it was ―law unto itself‖.
5. The high level of social order among traditional Islamic societies in which
relatively very few positive laws exist.
It is necessary to clarify the relationship between the areas of ethics and law.
The purpose of ethics is not to undermine the law or to replace it, but to
complement it by referring to the spirit of the law and to rules of equity.
Ethics Law
Study of human motivation. Concerned with what we do, not what we

feel.
Study of external actions. It explores Concerned with the externality of the act.
thoughts and feelings.
Requires that man desires that of which is Requires that we perform the required
good and act in accordance with that action regardless of our feelings towards
desire. such action.
Addresses all human activities. Applies to behaviors that lawmakers
choose to regulate.
Seeks to change people from the inside Attempt to change people from outside
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outward. inward.
Ethical principles are constant, universal Laws are frequently changing.
and everlasting.
Solidly based on the reasoning process―Logical instrument‖ of social control
essential to appropriate discretion. that, for the most part, are not necessarily
products of wisdom.
Prescriptive in nature. Basically reactive instrument.
Dependent upon knowledge, rationality Dependent for their effectiveness upon
and goodwill. legal procedures and complex rules of
evidence.
Morality therefore, has a wider implication than law because law can either be
moral or immoral. Thus, what is legal is not necessarily moral; but what is moral is worth
legalizing. Ethics is not simply a body of do’s and don’ts in the manner laws are.
Ethics is a personal commitment to uphold what is true and good. Ethics

aims to develop “right disposition and inner spirit” for accepting what is law.
Human Acts Acts of Man

Actions performed by man, knowingly Actions which happen in man.
and freely.
Deliberate or intentional actions or Instinctive and are not within the control
voluntary of the will.
Actions are the result of conscious Biological and physiological movements
knowledge and are subject to the control in man such as metabolism, respiration,
of the will. fear, anger, love, and jealousy.
Morality is the quality of human acts by which they are constituted as good, bad
or indifferent.
Essential Attributes of Human Acts
1. It must be performed by a conscious agent who is aware of what he is doing and

of its consequences.
2. It must be performed by an agent who is acting freely, that is by his own volition
and powers. An action done under duress and against one’s will is not entirely the
free action.
3. It must be performed by an agent who decides willfully to perform the act. This
willfulness is the result to perform the act, here and now or in some future time.
Kinds of Human Acts
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1. Elicited Acts
2. Commanded Acts
Elicited Acts – are those performed by the will and are not bodily externalized. Under
this type of acts are:
1. Wish is the tendency of will toward something, whether this will be realized or
not.
2. Intention is the tendency of the will towards something attainable but without
necessarily committing oneself to attain it.
3. Consent is the acceptance of the will of those needed to carry out the intention.
4. Election is the selection of the will of those effective enough to carry out the
intention.
5. Use is the command of the will to make use of those means elected to carry out
the intention.
6. Fruition is the enjoyment of the will derived from the attainment of the thing he
had desired earlier.
Commanded Acts – are those done either by man’s mental or bodily powers under the
command of the will. These acts are:
1. Internal actions – Examples: conscious reasoning, recalling something,
encouraging oneself, and controlling aroused emotions.
2. External actions – Examples: walking, eating, dancing, laughing, listening, and
reading.
3. Combinations of internal and external movements – Examples: studying,
driving a car, writing a letter, and playing chess.
Morality Distinctions
“Dictates of Reasons” stands for the norm of morality which is the standard by
which actions are judged as to their merits or demerits.
Classification of Actions According to the Norms of Morality
1. Moral (good) actions

2. Immoral (bad) actions
3. Amoral (indifferent) actions
Moral (good) actions – are those actions which are in conformity with the norm of
morality.
Immoral (bad) actions – are those actions which are not in conformity with the norm of
morality.
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Amoral (indifferent) actions – are those actions which stand neutral in relation to the
norm of morality. They are neither good nor bad in themselves. But certain amoral
actions may become good or bad because of the circumstances attendant to them.
Classifications of Voluntariness
1. Perfect voluntariness
2. Imperfect voluntariness
3. Conditional voluntariness
4. Simple voluntariness
Voluntariness comes from the Latin word ―voluntas‖, referring to the Will.
Voluntariness is essential to an act. Without it, an act is a mere act of man.
Perfect voluntariness - is present in a person who fully knows and fully intends an act.
Imperfect voluntariness – is present in a person who acts without fully realizing what he
means to do, or without fully intending the act.
Conditional voluntariness – is present in a person who is forced by circumstances

beyond his control to perform an act which he would not do under normal conditions.
Simple voluntariness – is present in a person doing an act willfully, regardless of

whether he likes to do it or not. It is either positive or negative.
Types of Voluntariness:
1. Direct voluntariness
2. Indirect voluntariness
Direct voluntariness – accompanies an act which is primarily intended by the doer,

either as an end in itself or as a means to achieve something.
Indirect voluntariness – accompanies an act or situation which is the mere result of a

directly willed act.
The Modifiers of Human Acts
1. Ignorance
2. Passions
3. Fear
4. Violence
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5. Habits
1. Ignorance – absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess.

Classification of Ignorance:
a. Vincible ignorance – can easily be reminded through ordinary diligence and
reasonable efforts.
b. Invincible ignorance – is the type of which a person possesses without being
aware of it, having awareness of it, lacks the means to rectify it.
“Ignorance of the law excuses no one” – implies that no one should not act in the stage
of ignorance and that no one who has done wrong may not claim ignorance as a defense.
2. Passions – either tendencies towards desirable objects or tendencies away from the
undesirable or harmful things.
Classification of Passions:
a. Positive emotions – love, desire, delight, hope, and bravery.

b. Negative emotions – hatred, horror, sadness, despair, fear, and anger.
Passions are physic responses. As such, they are either moral or immoral.
However, man is bound to regulate his emotions and submit them to the control of
reason.
3. Fear - disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by an impending danger

or harm to himself or loved ones.
Fear is an instinct for self-preservation. We even fear new experiences or

situations such as: embarking on long journey, being left alone in a strange place, or
being asked to speak before a group of people.
4. Violence – refers to any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for
the purpose of compelling said person to act against his will.
Bodily torture, maltreatment, isolation, and mutilation are examples of violence

against person.
5. Habits – is a lasting readiness and facility, born of frequently repeated acts, for acting
in a certain manner. They are acquired inclinations towards something to be done. They
assume the role of a second nature, moving one who has them to perform certain acts
with relative ease.
The word ―habit-forming‖ that we use to refer to certain experience shows how
easy it is for one to acquire a habit. It also implies that a habit is not easy to overcome or
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alter. It requires a strong-willed person to correct a habit successfully within a limited
period of time.
Action and Emotion
Man does an act with emotion and feeling not like a robot. In doing this act, man
does not only evoke certain sentiments, but his decision or intention to perform is swayed
by his emotions.
Emotions are generally instinctive in origin. Neither the degree of their intensity,
clarity, or awareness makes them human acts to be judged as good or evil. It means
simply that man’s thoughts and actions are colored by his emotions.
Moral perfection comes from within. We, Filipinos, refer to it as ―Kagandahan ng
loob‖. It is ―loob‖ because from within the human personality.
Kagandahan ng loob refers to attitude and its stands for all that are good, we call
kaibigan, in a human being. It is the multiplicity of sterling qualities, both natural and
acquired which because they precede from the hearts and minds and it also greatly
influenced one’s behavior towards himself and others.
Kagandahan ng loob includes such moral values: mapagmahal, may pakiramdam,
may pakikiramay, matulungin, masayahin, and hindi mapagkunwari.
Rights and Duties
Man is born with rights and duties and having rights is an attribute of a person.
That is why we have Commission on Human Rights that addresses violations of such
rights.
We insist on our rights but ignore our duties. Duties however are fundamental
than rights.
The duty to do good and to avoid evil is above all rights.
What is Right?
Right (objectively) – it is anything which is owed and due.

Right (subjectively) – that is, as residing in a person, right is a moral power, bound to be
respected by others, of doing, possessing, or requiring something.
Kinds of Rights:
1. Natural rights
2. Human rights
3. Civil rights
4. Ecclesiastical or religious rights
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5. Alienable and inalienable rights
6. Right of justification
7. Right of property
8. Juridical rights
9. Non-juridical rights
Natural rights – are those based on the natural law that is on human nature.
Human rights – are those based on human positive laws, either those enacted by the
State or a religious sect.
Civil rights – are those dependent upon the laws of state.
Ecclesiastical or religious rights – are those dependent upon the laws of a church or a
religious sect.
Alienable and inalienable rights – alienable rights are those civil or religious rights,
which can be surrendered, renounced, or removed, such as the right to decent livelihood.
Right of Justification – is the power of lawful authority to govern his subjects and to
make laws for them.
Right of property – is the power to own, to sell, to barter, to lend, to change, or give
away one’s personal possessions.
Juridical Rights – refers to all rights insofar as they are based on laws. These rights must
be respected, allowed, fulfilled, as a matter of strict justice.
Non-juridical rights – are those which are founded on laws, either natural or human, but
on virtue. Thus, these are also called moral rights.
What is Duty?
Duty (objectively) – it is anything we are obliged to do or to omit.

Duty (subjectively) – it is a moral obligation incumbent upon a person of doing,
omitting, or avoiding something.
Duty is a moral obligation because it depends upon freewill. As such, it resides on

a person. Duty is defined by law; any willful neglected of duty makes the person
accountable for such act.
Kinds of Duties:
1. Natural duties
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2. Positive duties
3. Affirmative duties
4. Negative duties
Natural duties – are those imposed by natural law such as, the duty to care for our
health.
Positive duties – are those imposed by a human positive law such as the duty to pay
taxes and to observe traffic rules.
Affirmative duties – are those which require the performance of a certain act, such as
casting a ballot during election, applying for a business license.
Negative duties – are those which require the omission of a certain act such as not
carrying illegal firearms, or not destroying the property of other.
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Learning Activity
Directions: In your own penmanship, answer the following questions. Write your answer
in a short bond paper. At the top portion, do not forget to write your name, course/year,
and subject. In writing, observe proper margin, punctuation and grammar usage. Do it
legibly. Avoid erasure for it may invalidate your answer.
Activity No. 1
1. What do you understand about Ethics? Explain further.

2. Differentiate Ethics and Law. Elaborate your answer.
3. Enumerate and discuss the kinds of human acts.
4. What are the classifications of action?
5. Enumerate the classification of voluntariness.
6. What are the modifiers of Human Acts? Discuss each modifier.
7. Enumerate and discuss the kinds of right.
8. Enumerate and discuss the kinds of duty.
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Thank you for answering, prepare and be ready for the next unit!
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Unit 2
Learning Outcomes

 Discuss ethics as values education.
 Determine the types of values and the variations of justice.
 Explain the characteristics of moral values.
 Acquire basic knowledge on values.
ETHICS AS VALUES EDUCATION
Ethics relies solely on human reason to investigate truths. Ethics take the form of
Value Education. A value is something a person prizes, cherishes and esteems as
important to him. The aim of Value Education is to guide the individual in choosing
wisely his values and in acting upon them.
Man is a person who possesses an intellect (insight) and will (volition). Person is
considered as self or ego which implies self sufficiency of the person and implies worth
or value. The first and most fundamental of the values is self.
For example – actions are values because they are the result of intellect and will,
motivated towards something desirable (another value).
Value is intimately related to the search for meaning in human life. Life is
meaningful when a man has found something capable of arousing his commitment to it,
something deserving for his best efforts, something worth living for and worth dying for.
Values enable man to change, to establish self-control and self-direction.
Values are implicitly related to a degree of behavioral freedom or autonomy by
human beings; values steer or guide the person, on the basis of internally chosen options.
Thus, values imply the (conscious) prioritizing of different behavioral alternatives which
are perceived to be possible for the individual. Values can apply to groups (such as
Filipino values) or individuals (religious values), and can be both processes and goals. In
example, democracy is both a process, and a goal.
Definitions of Values
Values may be defined and characterized by the following:

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 The quality (positive or negative) that renders something desirable or valuable;
―the Shakesperian Shylock is of dubious value in the modern world‖.
 An idea accepted by some individual or group; ―he has old fashioned values‖.
 Principles, standards or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable by the person
who holds them.
 Abstract ideas about what a society believes to be good, right, and desirable.
 Those qualities of behavior, thought, and character that society regards as being
intrinsically good, having desirable results, and worthy of emulation by others.
 Assumptions, convictions, or beliefs about the manner in which people should
behave and the principles that should govern behavior.
 It is a concept that describes the beliefs of an individual or culture.
 It comes from the Latin word “valere” which means “to be strong or to be
worth”.
Categories of Values
A value system is the ordered and prioritized set of ethical and doctrinal values
that an individual’s culture upholds.
In this context, a value is part of the core value system from which one operates
or reacts. These values can be grouped into the following categories:
 Ethical/Moral values
 Aesthetics values
 Doctrinal/ideological
 Innate
 Non-use/passive
 Potential/optional
Ethical/Moral values (good – bad, virtue – vice, moral – immoral – amoral, right –
wrong, permissible-impermissible).
Aesthetics values (beautiful, ugly, unbalanced, pleasing).
Doctrinal/ideological (political, religious or social beliefs and values).
Innate values (inborn values such as reproduction and survival, a controversial

category).
Non-use/passive – includes the value based on something never used or seen, or

something left for the next generation.
Potential/option – the value of something that is known to be only potentially valuable,

such as a plant that might be found to have medicinal value in the future.
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Kinds of Values
According to the level of human life to which they correspond:

1. Biological values
2. Social values
3. Rational values
Biological Values – necessary to the physical survival of man an as organism.

 Life and health
 Food and shelter
 Work
Social Values – necessary to the sensual needs and fulfillment.

 Leisure and sex
 Marriage
 Family and home
 Parental authority
 Education
Rational Values – necessary to the functions and fulfillment of intellect and will.
 Understanding and control of nature
 Guide and control of oneself
 Solidarity
 Parental authority with fellowmen
 Religion
Personal Values
Personal values evolve from circumstances with the external world and can
change over time. Integrity in the application of values refers to its continuity; persons
have integrity if they apply their values appropriately regardless of arguments or negative
reinforcement from others. Values are applied appropriately when they are applied in the
right area.
For example, it would be appropriate to apply religious values in times of
happiness as well as in times of despair.
Personal values are implicitly related to choice; the guide decisions by allowing
for an individual’s choices to be compared to each choice have associated values. It was
developed early in life may be resistant to change. They may be derived from those of
particular groups or systems, such as culture, religion, and political party. However,
personal values are not universal; one’s genes, family, nation and historical environment
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help determine one’s personal values. This is not to say that the value concepts
themselves are not universal, merely that each individual possess a unique conception of
them.
Moral Values
Those values that are directly pertain the function of intellect and will; those
choices, decisions, and actions by which man’s national faculties are involved and
perfected.
Characteristics of Moral Values:
1. Moral values are goods having intrinsic qualities of desirability.

2. Moral values are universal – they appeal to man as man and to man as a specific
individual.
3. Moral values are obligatory – they come as natural duty, because possession of
them is expected as an integral quality to man as rational creature directed by
natural powers towards truth, beauty and goodness.
Mora/Cardinal Virtues According to Scholastic Philosophy
1. Prudence
2. Justice
3. Fortitude
4. Temperance
5. Charity
Prudence – refers to the ability to govern and discipline oneself by means or logical
reasoning and sound discretion. It is a habit which inclines man to act in a way that
harmonizes with nature (virtue), which attracts the intellect to prefer the most effective
means for accomplishing what is morally good and avoid moral evils.
It is characterized by being careful about one’s choices, not taking undue risks,
and not saying or doing things that might later be regretted. Prudence root back to
Aristotle’s writing on practical wisdom, in which he hails it as a crucial linking virtue.
Currently, prudence is usually used in reference to financial or political situations,
but to psychologists prudence’s meaning extends much further. According to Peterson
and Seligman (2004), ―Individuals with this strength have the following attributes:
a. They take a foresighted stance toward their personal future, thinking and caring
about it, planning for it, and holding long term goals and aspirations.
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b. They are skilled at resisting self-defeating impulses and at persisting in beneficial
activities that lack immediate appeal.
c. They show a style of thinking about everyday life choices that is reflective,
deliberate, and practical.
d. They harmonize the multiple goals and interests that motivate them, forming
these into stable, coherent, and not conflicted form of life.
Justice – it refers to a virtue that inclines the will to give every person his/her accorded
rights.
It is the concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law,
religion, fairness, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics.
According to most theories of justice, it is overwhelmingly important. John Rawls
claims that ―justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of
thought‖. Justice can be thought of as distinct from and more fundamental than
benevolence, charity, mercy, generosity or compassion. Justice has traditionally been
associated with concepts of fate, reincarnation or Divine Providence. The association of
justice with fairness has, thus been historically and culturally rare and is perhaps chiefly a
modern innovation.
Justice has the following variations/divisions:
1. Utilitarianism
2. Retributive Justice
3. Restorative Justice
4. Distributive Justice
5. Oppressive Law
Utilitarianism – it is a form of consequentialism, where punishment is forward

looking. Justified by the ability to achieve future social benefits resulting in crime
reduction, the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome.
Retributive Justice – it regulates proportionate response to crime proven by lawful

evidence, so that punishment is justly imposed and considered as morally correct
and fully deserved. The law of retaliation (lex taliones) is a military theory of
retributive justice, which says that reciprocity should be equal to the wrong
suffered; life for life, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe.
Restorative Justice – It is concerned not so much with retribution and punishment

as with (a) making the victim whole and (b) reintegrating the offender into
society. This approach frequently brings an offender and a victim together, so that
the offender can better understand the effect his/her offense had on the victim.
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Distributive Justice – It is directed at the proper allocation of things – wealth,
power, reward, respect – among different people. It standardizes those actions that
have to do with the rights of an individual may claim in society.
Oppressive Law – exercises an authoritarian approach to legislation that is

―totally unrelated to justice‖’ a tyrannical interpretation of law is one in which the
population lives under restriction from unlawful legislation.
Fortitude – denotes firmness of mind, the courage to endure without yielding. It is a

combination of patience (calmness and composure), perseverance (the ability to continue
despite of obstacles or opposition) and endurance (the ability to survive).
The strength or firmness of mind that enables a person to face danger, pain or
despondency with stoic resolve.
Fortitude is one of the cardinal virtues. As such, it can be practiced by anyone,
since, unlike the theological virtues, the cardinal virtues are not in themselves, the gifts of
God through grace but the outgrowth of habit.
Fortitude is commonly called courage, but it is different from what much of what
we think of as courage today. Fortitude is always reasoned and reasonable, the person
exercising fortitude is willing to put himself in danger if necessary, but he does not seek
danger for danger’s sake.
The third of the Cardinal Virtues:

 St. Thomas Aquinas ranked fortitude as the third of the cardinal virtues,
because it serves prudence and justice, the higher virtues. Fortitude is the
virtue that allows us to overcome fear and to remain steady in our will in
the face of obstacles. Prudence and Justice are the virtues through which
we decide what needs to be done; fortitude gives us the strength to do it.
What Fortitude is Not:

 Fortitude is not foolhardiness or rashness, ―rushing in where angels fear to
tread’. Indeed, part of the virtue of fortitude, as Fr. John A. Hardson, S.J.
notes in his Modern Catholic Dictionary, the ―curbing of recklessness‖.
Putting our bodies or lives in danger when it is not necessary is not
fortitude but foolishness.
Temperance – refers to the ability to avoid something and act with moderation,
regulating one’s carnal appetite for sensual pleasures.
Temperance (Sophrosyne in Greek is defined as ―moderation in action, thought,
or feeling; restraint‖.) It has been studied by religious thinkers, philosophers, and more
recently, psychologists, particularly in the positive psychology movement.
It is considered a virtue, a core value that can be seen consistently across time and
cultures. It is considered one of the cardinal virtues, for it is believed that no virtue could
be sustained in the face of inability to control oneself, if the virtue was opposed to some
desire.
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Temperance is generally defined by control over excess, so that it has many
classes, such as abstinence, chastity, modesty, humility, prudence, self-regulation, and
forgiveness and mercy; each of these involves restraining some impulse such as sexual
desire, vanity, or danger.
Charity – refers to kindness, compassion, altruism, humanity and goodwill. It is the
obligation of giving under certain conditions whatever assistance and aid which our
fellowmen needs.
A virtue is a character trait which is evaluated as being good. Societies have

values (norms) that are largely shared among many of the participants. In this case those
participants share a culture, even when an individual participant’s cultural values might
not entirely agree with some normative values sanctioned in the larger society.
Other Values:
1. Religious Values
2. Cultural Values
3. Social Values
Religious Values – pertain to man’s relationship with God, guiding and regulating his
communion with Him.
Cultural Values – pertain to man’s relationship sharing with others in a given

community of persons, shaping their spiritual kinship, and directing their attention to
definite ideals of behavior.
Social Values – pertain to the relationship necessary in the promotion of human society
as a whole, integrating the motivation and interests of members towards the common
objective or goal.
Hierarchy of Values
It refers to the order of values from the lowest to the highest importance. The
goods pertaining to the soul, the intellect and will occupy the highest level of importance
while biological values occupy the lowest rank.
Choosing our Values
Man must be wise enough to choose his values in accordance to their intrinsic
worth.
Guides in our Preference to Choose Values
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1. Permanent or lasting values must be preferred over temporary values. Example:
Education over Courtship.
2. Values favored by greater number of people must be preferred over those that
appeal only to the few. Example: Discipline over Personal Freedom.
3. Values that are essential must be preferred over those that are accidental.
Example: Health over Beauty.
4. Values that give greater satisfaction must be preferred over those that provide
short-lived pleasures. Example: Pursuing your artistic hobby over Fanatical
devotion to a movie star.
The Highest Value - GOD
He is the Summum Bonum, the ultimate and absolute good that will fulfill all
human desires. God is the ultimate end of human life. God is not only the Alpha and the
Omega of the created universe; he is the preserver of values.
Summum Bonum is a Latin word and means ―the highest good‖, one which
cannot be subordinated to any other.
This principle obligates the ethical reasoned to examine all possible goods that
bear on an issue, to rank them in an ascending, and to choose the highest among them as
the ―master good‖. Such ranking can be based on the truths of purpose, goodness,
morality, and utility among others. As such, the concept of Summum Bonum
characterizes ―the morals of all morals‖ and the ethics of all ethics.
Clash of Differing Values:
If a person expresses a value which is in conflict with their society’s norms, the
society may carry out various ways of redressing, stigmatizing or confronting the
individual. Imprisonment is a result of conflict with social norms that have been
established by law.
Some Values recognized as Virtues in Various Culture
Acceptance Curiosity
Accountability Democracy
Adventure Dependability
Altruism Detachment
Agape Determination
Appreciation Diligence
Assertiveness Discipline
Autonomy Education
Awareness Effort
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Balance Empathy
Beauty Endurance
Being beautiful in spirit Enthusiasm
Calm Equality
Care for others Etiquette
Charity Excellence
Chastity Fairness
Cleanliness Faith
Commitment Fantasy
Compassion Fidelity
Confidence Focus
Consciousness Foresight
Continence Forgiveness
Cooperation Fortitude
Courage Freedom
Creativity Free Will
Critical Thinking Friendship
Gentleness Generosity
Happiness Piety
Helpfulness Potential
Honesty Prudence
Honor Purpose
Hope Respect
Hospitality Responsibility
Humility Restraint
Humanism Satisfaction
Humor Self-awareness
Idealism Self-discipline
Imagination Self-esteem
Individualism Self-interest
Independence Self-reliance
Innocence Self-respect
Integrity Sensitivity
Intuition Service
Inventiveness Sharing
Justice Sincerity
Kindness Socialism
Love Spirituality
Loyalty Sympathy
Magnanimity Tact
Mercy Temperance
Moderation Tenacity
Manners Tolerance
Modesty Tradition
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Morality Trust
Non-violence Truth
Nurture Truthfulness
Obedience Understanding
Openness Unpretentiousness
Optimism Unselfishness
Patience Utility
Perspective Wealth
Peace Well-being
Perfection Wisdom
Perseverance Zeal
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Learning Activity
Activity No. 2
1. Discuss Ethics as values education.

2. What do you understand about Values?
3. Enumerate and discuss the kinds of values.
4. Differentiate personal values and moral values.
5. Differentiate prudence and fortitude.
6. Differentiate cultural values and social values.
7. Enumerate the variations/divisions of justice.
8. Differentiate retributive justice and restorative justice.
9. What do you understand about Summum Bonum?
10. Give at least 10 values recognized as virtues in various cultures.
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Unit 3
Learning Outcomes

 Discuss the law enforcement code of ethics and the canons of Police ethics.
 Determine the professional Police principles, Police officer’s creed and basic
issues.
 Acquire basic knowledge on the professional conduct and ethical standards and
others.
POLICE ETHICS
The Usefulness of a Code of Ethics:

Codes are like firearms; they have their value and they have their dangers. One of
the more interesting questions to ask is why police created a code of ethics in the first
place. It may be that codes contain historically important clues to the contextual mandates
for policing, but more often than not, they represent aspirations toward the future without
any clear directions for how to get from one place (the past) to another (the future).
The police code (illustrated below) is designed to be like an oath of office, and the
effectiveness of making someone say ―I will‖ over and over again is debatable.
Originally, this code was developed by the California Peace Officers Association
and later was adopted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 1957.
Law Enforcement Code of Ethics:
1. “As a Law Enforcement Officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind”
The gist of this passages contained in two words: ―duty‖ and ―service‖. Too
often we forget that law enforcement is not just a job for which we are hired as one
would hire a laborer. It involves a sworn duty. Some progressive police department
now requires that its officers reaffirm their oath each year in an effort to drive home the
message that is contained in this sworn oath, and to again remind the officer of the
essential relationship between his job and the free society in which he lives.
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The word ―serve‖ denotes the denial of one’s own pleasures and desire for the
good of the person or persons to be served. Service involves dedication and sacrifice of
the giving of one’s self. These are words that many find hard to swallow in his present
day and age but the job of professional law enforcement requires a special breed of man.
2. “To safeguard lives and property; to protect the innocent against deception, the weak
against oppression or intimidation; and the peaceful against violence or disorder”
We must, however, understand some of the limitations that are present in a truly
democratic society. In such a society as ours, this task can often be a difficult one,
because protecting the rights of the individual means also protecting the rights of the
criminal. This is sometimes a hard pill for law enforcement officers to swallow.
Because of this, some officers stray politically to the far right in an effort to either
seek a system where their job would be made easier, or to better protect the society that
they have sworn to serve. It is easy for an officer to become bitter when he has
continually witnessed the ends of justice thwarted by red tape politics and technicalities
of the law. The more truly idealistic he is, the more frustrated he can become, especially
if he lacks a philosophy or understanding of his true purpose in the society which he
serves. Why must the idealistic officer suffer so? When a good carpenter does his best,
in building a fine house, one that can be seen and admired by all, he can stand back and
look at his job with a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. The same applies to an
artist or anyone in the skilled trades. Why not, then the policemen? Why must a good
policeman, who works hard for the ends of justice, see the products of his work so often
crumble at his feet?
3. “To respect the constitutional rights of all men to liberty, equality and justice”
Respecting the rights of others is not one of man’s natural qualities. It seems to
be part of his nature of suspect and persecute those who are in any different from himself.
There is no perfect justice on this earth, nor will there ever be, because man is not all
knowing nor is he himself perfect. Still we must strive for a form of justice that
represents our ultimate capability. This involves not only great effort on the part or very-
person in the community, but individual sacrifice as well.
One of the greatest areas of fault among police officers generally, is not so much a
prejudice against the criminal. For example, an officer soon learns from experience that a
certain group of persons is often responsible for the majority of the crimes committed
such an offense. Such a prejudice could lead to the faulty conclusion that he is the guilty
person. This soon leads to a general feeling of prejudice against all those who have been
convicted of prior offenses, and an almost subconscious refusal to accord them the same
right that the Constitution provides for all persons.
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4. “I will keep my private life unsullied as an example to all”
One of the first things that a law enforcement officer must learn is that he has no
private life. Every citizen should be entitled to his own private life yet when a person
accepts the calling of Law enforcement, as a voluntary measure, he must be willing to
offer his privacy as a sacrifice to the good of the community which he serves. If a law
enforcement officer could hide from his neighbors the fact that he is a policeman, then his
private life could be his own. This, however, is impossible. If a policeman has a family,
his occupation will become known in the neighborhood within a few days at the most. If
he is single, and keeps to himself, he may keep the secret a little longer, but if he is
engaged in active law enforcement within his community, it is inevitable that his
neighbors will become aware of it. One this is known, he will become the object of
constant observation.
5. “Maintain courageous calm in the face of danger, scorn or ridicule and develop self-
restrain”
In a democratic society, a police officer is a public officer and as such is a servant

to the community. Instead of being above reproach or ridicule, he must expect to receive
his position, as part of his job. It is not easy to control one’s temper when being
subjected to unnecessary and unjustified scorn or ridicule. Punching the perpetrator in
the mouth will hurt him physically, but psychologically he will sense victory in that he
knows that he ―got to the officer.‖ Nothing will hurt him more than being ignored.
Through practice, even the officer with a wild temper can learn to control it. For the
professional law enforcement officer it is ―must‖. When subjected to scorn and ridicule, it
often helps just to consider the source.
6. “Whatever I see or hear of a confidential nature or that is confided to me in my

official capacity will be kept secret unless revelation is necessary in the performance of
my duty”
Some officers feel that there is a difference in that the information obtained by the
doctor and attorney is freely given with the understanding that will be confidential
whereas the he information obtained as part the law enforcement officer can be the result
of many sources or forms of investigation.
This information should never leave the department or the person retaining it
unless it is in the interest of justice. An officer should even be careful not to reveal
information to his wife. An officer’s wife is often very tempted to reveal information of
a confidential nature to neighbor women in an effort to show her neighbors the
importance of her husband’s job, and to gain status in the eyes of the neighbor’s women.
7. “I will never permit personal feelings, prejudice, animosities or friendships to

influence my decisions”
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It is quite difficult to know which desire is strongest in some persons, to help our
friends or to hurt our enemies. Both desires are part of our human nature. Helping our
friends can be very good thing in self, but when it involves an inequity in the
administration of justice we are defiling the oath we made to the community in which we
serve. In police work, there is ample opportunity to both hurt enemies and help friends,
and it takes a person of strong character to properly perform his duties under these
circumstances. Without professional convictions, this can be impossible.
8. “I will never act officiously”
One of the faults common to new officers is that they often act officiously. They
appear to the public to be over-impressed with their own importance. In a way this is
natural because it is associated with pride and a new officer is usually very proud for his
is a noble undertaking. However, a law enforcement officer must always guard against
having this pride misinterpreted by the public as being merely officious.
The majority of the people who make contact with a law enforcement officer
during his tour of duty are not criminals. The majority of the persons receiving tickets
from an officer are normally law abiding, upright citizens of the community, and they are
usually embarrassed enough by being caught in a traffic violation without being talked
down to or treated like a criminal. Judges often report that a common reason for a person
appearing in traffic court as not so much to contest the facts of the offense as it is
complain about the demeanor of the officer issuing the citations.
9. “With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will
enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill-will”
The term ―with no compromise for crime‖ means that crime will not be
knowingly permitted. It does not mean that the officer must perform his duties to the
―letter of the law‖ without taking into consideration the ―spirit of the law‖. If the Code of
Ethics will be examined, nothing will be found in it to the effect than an officer must
obtain convictions and send people to prison for long periods of time. It does state,
however, that he must do the best of which he is capable, and that his actions must in
themselves be ethical. No man can predict or guarantee the final results of any action.
Only god can do this, Man can only be responsible for his immediate actions. If an officer
does a good job and the court release the criminal, the blame rests not upon him but upon
the courts, the jury or society itself. The modern law enforcement officer has a new motto
―Be firm but fair‖. He does not have to be a ―theory bound‖ sociologist just because he
treats criminals like human beings.
The modern professional law enforcement officer lets the criminal call the tune as
to his own treatment. The officers can and must be as tough as the situation demands yet
there is no personal vindictiveness in the way he treats the criminal. His tone of voice and
demeanor usually indicate that he will not be walked on, yet his actions are fair.
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10. “I will never employ unnecessary force or violence”
At times the use of force in the performance of one’s duties is an absolute

necessity. There is no escaping it. It is extremely difficult to judge exactly whether or
not use of force is necessary in a given situation. The use of force or violence during
interrogations will often produce immediate confessions, but it should be avoided on
ethical grounds. The interrogator seldom knows with complete certainty that the suspect
is guilty, and the use of force or the ―third degree‖ on an innocent person is certainly a
miscarriage of justice as well as a violation of professional conduct. As a means of
punishment for the criminal, it would be out of place for it is not the function of law
enforcement to punish criminals. This belongs to the courts and prisons.
11. “I will never accept gratuities”
Those members of law enforcement, who developed this code, were certainly
aware of the complexities of this particular area, but the use of the word ―never‖ in
relation to accepting gratuities, indicates that they felt that this was a necessary and
essential prerequisite to professional law enforcement. To be truly professional we must
first be ethical, we must do what is actually desirable, not merely what we would like to
be desirable.
12. “I recognize the badge of my office as a symbol of public faith, and I accept it as a
public trust to be held so long as I am true to the ethics of police service”
The essence of this section is one of the most overlooked and forgotten facets of
law enforcement by the man in the field. It is this that distinguishes the difference
between law enforcement and the ordinary job. It is this that enables an officer to suffer
the difficulties and problems that make he held, at times, so frustrating and discouraging.
Police administrators would do well to place more emphasis upon the swearing in
process. It should be made very formal and similar to the initiation of many fraternal
organizations.
The chief of Police should see that the recruit is not issued a badge or allowed to
put on a uniform until he is thoroughly familiar with the Code of Ethics and especially
the above section. He should be made to understand that he is one of a select few, and
that his job is public trust that must be earned. The new officer should also understand
that any personal reward would not be obtained from the public itself. This is so because
the public is a difficult master, it there is to be personal reward, it can only come from the
job itself or from knowing the true significance of the job and the essential role that in
plays in society. Perhaps the greatest reward is the self-respect and satisfaction that
comes from the knowledge that the job was done in a truly professional manner.
13. “I will constantly strive to achieve these objectives and ideals dedicating myself
before God, to my chosen profession… Law Enforcement”
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Proficiency in law enforcement involves many factors. It involves mental, moral
and physical conditioning. They are all important aspects. The officer who let himself
slip physically is certainly not able to protect society. The officer who is in good physical
condition has more confidence in his ability, and this is sensed by those with whom he
deals, and as a result he finds that it is necessary to exert authority as much as it might be
otherwise. Unfortunately, most police department requires a stiff physical agility
examination before this area is either forgotten or greatly neglected. It is left up to the
individual officer to keep himself in shape.
The Police Code of Ethics:

Codes of ethics are institutional guidelines used to further reinforce ethical
conduct by practitioners. They are not constructed as detailed means of resolving every
ethical problem but as general principles that illuminate moral choice.
There are few professions that demand so much moral fiber as policing. Police
stand in ―harm’s way‖ not so much against enemies with bullets, but against enemies
skilled in every form of trickery, deceit, feigned ignorance, and deception.
Functions of Codes
Two Major Purposes of Codes of Ethics:

1. They provide moral guidelines for practitioners of criminal justice. As such, they
constitute moral obligations that should be met and moral qualities that should be
emulated. Furthermore, they prescribe ―professional standards of conduct‖
necessary for the ethical enlightenment of practitioners if they are to lead a
professional career. The objective is to motivate workers to be dedicated to
whatever they do and to devote themselves to the principles of honesty, fidelity
and professionalism.
2. Codes of ethics define professional behavior in the workplace. When practitioners
adhere to a code of ethics, the result is an environment that is conducive to
excellence. They would know what their responsibilities require them to do
without supervision. They would develop a sense of pride in their jobs.
Two main virtues cultivated by Codes of Ethics:

1. Ethics of Public Service
2. Ethics of Professionalism
THE CANONS OF POLICE ETHICS
The Canon of Police Ethics is more interesting, but again, consists mostly of
value statements that an officer is supposed to subscribe to. Goals and attitudes are nice,
but something a little ―deeper‖ might be called for.
The following are the cannons of Police ethics:
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 Primordial police responsibility
 Limitation of police authority
 Knowledge of the law and other responsibilities
 Use of proper means to obtain proper ends
 Cooperation with public officials
 Proper conduct and behavior
 Conduct towards the community
 Conduct in arresting law violators
 Firmness in refusing gifts or favors
 Impartial presentation of evidence
 Attitude toward police profession
Primordial Police Responsibility
The primary objective of upholder of the law must know its crime, policeman
knew too well that he has committed his life to defend and protect the rights of the citizen
and uphold the law at all cost.
Limitation of Police Authority
Policeman as an upholder of the law must know its limitation upon him in
enforcing the law, thus:
a. He must be aware of the limitations which the people, through law, have placed
him.
b. He must recognize the center of the democratic system of government which
gives person or group of persons, absolute power.
c. He must insure that he does not pervert its true character.
Knowledge of the Law and other Responsibilities
a. The policeman shall assiduously apply himself to the principles of the laws which
he is sworn to apply.
b. He will make certain of his responsibilities in the particular field of enforcement,
seeking aid of his superior in matters technically or in principles are not clear to
him.
c. He shall make special effort to fully understand his relationship with other law
enforcement agencies particularly on matter of jurisdiction, both geographically
and substantively.
Use of Proper Means to Obtain Proper Ends
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a. The policeman shall be mindful of his responsibility to have strict selection of
methods in discharging the duty of his office.
b. Violation of law or disregard of public safety and property on the part of the
officer are intrinsically wrong. They are self-defeating if they instill in the public
mind and a like disposition.
c. The employment of illegal methods, no matter how worthy the end, is certain to
encourage disrespect for the law and its officers. If the law is to be honored, it
must first be honored by those who enforce it.
Cooperation with Public Officials
a. The policeman shall cooperate fully with other public officials in the performance
of authorized duties, regardless of party affiliation or personal prejudices.
b. He shall be meticulous, however, in assuring himself of property, under the law,
such actions and shall guard against the use of his office of person whether
knowingly or in any improper or illegal action.
Proper Conduct and Behavior
a. The policeman shall be mindful of his special identification by the public as an

upholder of law.
b. Police laxity of conduct or manner in private life, expressing either disrespect for
the law or seeking to gain special prevail, cannot but reflect upon in the
policeman and the police service.
c. The community and the service require that the policeman leads the life of decent
and honorable person, following the career of policeman gives him no special pre-
requisite.
Conduct towards the Community
a. The policeman shall be mindful of his responsibility to the community.

b. He shall deal with individuals of the community in the manner calculated to instill
respect for its law.
c. He shall conduct his official life in a manner that will inspire confidence and trust.
d. He will be neither overbearing nor subservient, as no individual citizen has
obligation to stand in awe of him or fight to command him.
e. He will do neither from personal preference or prejudice but rather a duly
appointed officer of the law discharging his sworn obligation.
Conduct in Arresting Law Violator
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a. Policeman shall use his powers of arrest in accordance with the law and with due
regard to the rights of the citizen concerned.
b. He shall, at all times, have a clear appreciation of his responsibilities and
limitation regarding the detention of the accused.
c. He shall conduct himself in such a manner as will minimize the possibility of
having to use force.
d. He shall cultivate a dedication to the people and the equitable upholding of the
law whether in the handling of the accused or law abiding citizen.
Firmness in Refusing Gifts or Favors
a. Policeman representing the government bears heavy responsibility of maintaining,

in his conduct, the honor and integrity of all government institution.
b. He shall guard against himself in a position in which the public can reasonably
assume that special consideration is being given.
c. He shall be firm in refusing gifts, favors or gratitude, large or small, which can be
public mind, be interpreted as capable of influencing his judgment in the
discharge of his duties.
Impartial Presentation of Evidence
a. Policeman shall be concerned equally in the prosecution of the accused and in the
defense of the innocent.
b. He shall ascertain what kind of evidence and shall present such evidence
impartially and without malice.
c. He shall ignore social, political and all other distinction among the person
involved, strengthening the tradition of reliability and integrity of an officer’s
word.
d. He shall be mindful that in many situation be is the sole impartially testimony to
the fact of the case.
Attitude towards Police Profession
a. Policeman shall regard the best possible of his duties as a public trust and
recognize his responsibilities as a public servant.
b. He shall strive to make the best possible application of science to the selection of
the crime and in the field of human relation.
c. He shall strive for effective leadership and public influence in matters affecting
public safety.
d. He shall appreciate the importance and responsibility of his office, and hold
police work to be an honorable profession rendering valuable service to his
community.
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e. Through study and experience, a police officer can acquire the high level of
knowledge and competence that is essential for the efficient and effective
performance of duty. The acquisition of knowledge is a never- ending process of
personal and professional development that should be pursued constantly.
POLICE PRINCIPLES
The following are the professional police principles:

 Prevention of crime and disorder
 Cooperation of the community
 Unreasonable force reduces community cooperation
 Use of reasonable force when persuasion is not sufficient
 Impartial enforcement of laws
 The community are the police
 Police should not usurp judicial powers
 Rules of engagement impartially observed
 Reduction of crime and dishonor
 Police discretion
Prevention of Crime and Disorder
The basic mission for whom the police exist is to prevent crime and disorder as an
alternative to the repression of crime and disorder by police force and severity of legal
punishment.
Cooperation of the Community
a. The police must secure the willing cooperation in the voluntary observance of the
law to be able to secure and maintain the respect and support of the community.
b. The ability of the police to perform their duty is dependent upon community
support of police existence, action, behavior and the ability of the police to secure
and maintain community and respect.
Unreasonable Force Reduce Community Cooperation
A police officer will never employ unnecessary force or violence and will use
only such force in the discharge of duty as in reasonable in all circumstances.
Force should be used only with the greatest restraint and only after discussion,
negotiation and persuasion have been found to be inappropriate or ineffective. While the
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use of force is occasionally unavoidable, every police officer will refrain from applying
the unnecessary infliction of pain or suffering and will never engage in cruel, degrading
of inhuman treatment of any person.
Use of Reasonable Force when Persuasion is Not Sufficient
a. The police should use reasonable force to the extent necessary to secure
observance of the law or to restore order only when the exercise of persuasion,
advice and warning is found to be insufficient to attain police objectives.
b. No violence or unnecessary force shall be subject to any greater restrain than is
necessary for his detention.
Impartial Enforcement of Laws
a. The police seek and preserve community favor, not by catering to community
opinion, but constantly demonstrating absolutely impartial enforcement of laws,
without regard to the justice and injustice of the substance of particular laws.
b. Impartial enforcement of laws on all individual members of the society without
regard to their race or social standing.
The Community is the Police
a. The police at all times should maintain relationship with the community that gives
reality to the historic tradition that the police are the community and the
community is the police.
b. The police are the only members of the community who are paid to give full time
attention to maintain peace and order, which are incumbent on every citizen in the
interest of community welfare.
Police should not Usurp Judicial Powers
The police should always direct their actions strictly toward their functions and
never appear to usurp the powers of judiciary by averaging individuals of the state of
authoritative judging guilt or punishing the guilt.
Reduction of Crime and Disorder
The test of police efficiency is the reduction of crime and disorder until totally
eradicated, not by evidence of police present and action in dealing with the community.
Rule of Enforcement Impartially Observed

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a. Policemen engaged in anti-crime operation must always consider the safety and
security of who might be caught in the crossfire or arm encounters.
b. The use of force including firearms is justifiable only by virtue of the Doctrine of
Self-defense and Defense of a Stranger. Nobody, including the policeman and
other law enforcement authorities is above the law.
c. The use of force, especially firearms, should be applied only as a last resort, when
all other peaceful and non-violent means has been exhausted.
d. The use of force, especially firearms, should be confined only in the lawless
elements and the responding PNP unit. This is inherent in the police service in
which the profession, the armaments and safety life of every police officer are
dedicated to the protection and safety of the people.
Police Discretion
A police officer will use responsibly the discretion vested in the position and
exercise it within the law. The principle of reasonableness will guide the officer’s
determinations and the officer will consider all surrounding circumstances whether any
legal action shall be taken.
Consistent and wise use of discretion, based on professional policing competence,
will do much to preserve good relationship and retain the confidence of the public. There
can be difficulty in choosing between conflicting courses of action. It is important to
remember that a timely word of advice rather than arrest (in appropriate circumstances) is
a more effective means of achieving a desired end.
POLICE OFFICER’S CREED AND STAND ON BASIC ISSUES
The PNP Core Values

The police service is a noble profession and demands from its members a
specialized knowledge and skills and high standard of ethics and morality. In this regard,
the members of the Philippine National Police must adhere to and internalize the
enduring core values of:
 Love of God
 Respect for authority
 Selfless love and service for people
 Respect for women and the sanctity of marriage
 Responsible dominion and stewardship over material things
 Truthfulness
The Police Officer’s Creed:
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1. I believe in God, the Supreme Being, a Great provider, and the Creator of all men
and everything dear to me. In return, I can do less than love Him above all, seek
His guidance in the performance of my sworn duties and honor Him at all times.
2. I believe that respect for authority is a duty. I respect and uphold the Constitution,
the laws of the land and the applicable rules and regulations. I recognize the
legitimacy and authority of the leadership; and follow and obey legal orders of my
superior officers.
3. I believe in selfless love and service to people. Toward this end, I commit myself
to the service of my fellowmen over and above my personal convenience.
4. I believe in the sanctity of marriage and the respect for women. I shall set the
example of decency and morality and shall have high regard for family life and
chastity.
5. I believe in the responsible dominion and stewardship over material things. I shall
inhibit myself from ostentatious display of my property. I shall protect the
environment and conserve nature to maintain ecological balance. I shall respect
private and public properties and prevent others from destroying it.
6. I believe in the wisdom of truthfulness. I must be trustworthy and I shall speak the
truth at all times as required by my profession.
PNP Stand on Basic Issues
The deployment and employment of the PNP personnel require the organization
and its members to bare their stand on the following basic issues:
1. PNP Image - The image of any organization affects the esprit de corps, morale
and welfare of members and sense of pride to the organization. In view thereof,
all members of the PNP should conduct themselves in manner that would not
place the PNP in bad light. Instead, they should live in accordance with the PNP
core values and possess the following virtues: honor, integrity, valor, justice,
honesty, humility, charity, and loyalty to the service.
2. Career Management, the Key In Professionalism – Its improper implementation
will greatly prejudice the personnel professionalization process as regards to
procurement, promotion, assignment, placement, training, awards, and retirement.
To address these flaws, the PNP shall formulate stringent policy and strictly
implement the human resources development system, compatible to the equitable
distribution of procurement, fair promotion, rationalized approach in assignment,
skill development, immediate grant of reward and award and decent living upon
retirement.
3. Police Management Leadership - The effectiveness of the law enforcement is
reflective of the managerial capabilities and competent leadership of men and
women who run the PNP organization. It is therefore a ―must‖ that these
attributes be the primary basis for consideration in the selection of personnel for
employment and deployment purposes.
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4. Equality in the Service - There shall be judicious and equitable distribution of
opportunity to prove one’s worth in the police service. The problem on inequity
thru class orientation and factionalism, both real and perceived, premised on
favored assignment, inequitable opportunity of training, unfair granting of
promotion, and untimely awarding of achievements, will create an atmosphere of
demoralization. The result is inefficiency and lack of teamwork to the detriment
of organization. It behooves therefore on the PNP leadership to address the
situation. The civilian character of the organization requires the adherence to the
rule on merit and fitness system and to dissociate the above process from class
orientation and factionalism.
5. Police Lifestyle - The PNP shall endeavor to promote lifestyle for every member
of the organization that is acceptable and respectable in the eyes of the public.
Further, its members should set good example to the subordinates and follow
good example from the superiors. They must be free from greed, corruption and
exploitation. The public expects a police officer to live a simple, yet credible and
dignified life.
6. Delicadeza - In consonance with the requirements of honor and integrity in the
PNP, all members must have the moral courage to sacrifice self-interest in
keeping with the time-honored principle of delicadeza. All members shall
promptly discharge all debts and legal liabilities incurred by them.
7. Political Patronage - All PNP members must inhibit themselves from soliciting
political patronage in matters pertaining to assignment, awards, training and
promotion.
8. Human Rights - All PNP members must respect and protect human dignity and
men’s inalienable rights to life, liberty and property.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT AND ETHICAL STANDARD
Standard of Police Professionalism:

All members shall perform their duties with excellence, competence, integrity,
intelligence and expertise in the application of specialized skill and technical knowledge.
Police Professional Conduct
All members of the PNP shall observe the following professional conduct:
1. Commitment to Democracy - Uniform PNP members commits themselves to the
democratic way of life and values and maintains the principle of public
accountability. Public office is a public trust. Public officer must at all times be
accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty
and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives. They shall
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at all times uphold the constitution and be loyal to our country, people and
organization above loyalty to any persons or organization.
2. Commitment to Public Interest - PNP members shall always uphold public
interest over and above personal interest. All government properties, resources
and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used effectively,
honestly and efficiency, particularly to avoid wastage of public funds and
revenues.
3. Non-Partisanship - PNP members shall provide services to everyone without
discrimination regardless of party affiliation in accordance with existing laws and
regulations.
4. Physical Fitness and Health - All PNP members shall strive to be physically and
mentally fit and in good health at all times. Towards this end, they shall undergo
regular physical exercise and annual medical examination in any PNP hospital or
medical facility.
5. Secrecy Discipline - All PNP Members shall guard the confidentiality of
classified information against unauthorized disclosure, including confidential
aspects of official business, special orders, communications and other documents,
roster or any portion thereof of the PNP, content of criminal records, identities of
person who may have given information to the police in confidence and other
classified information on intelligence material.
6. Social Awareness - All PNP members and their immediate family members shall
be encouraged to actively get involved in the religious, social and civic activities
to enhance the image of the organization but without affecting their official
duties.
7. Proper Care and Use of Public Property - All PNP members shall be
responsible for the security, proper care and use of public property issued to them
and/or deposit under their care and custody. Unauthorized use of public property
for personal convenience or gain and that of their family, friends, or relatives is
strictly prohibited.
8. Non-Solicitation of Patronage - All PNP members shall seek self-improvement
through career development and shall not directly or indirectly solicit influence or
recommendation from politician, high ranking government officials, prominent
citizens, persons affiliated with civic or religious organization with regard to their
assignments, promotions, transfer or those of other members of the force, nor
shall they initiate any petition to be prepared and presented by citizens in their
behalf. Moreover, they shall advise their immediate relatives not to interfere in the
activities of the police service particularly in the assignment and reassignment of
personnel.
9. Respect for Human Rights - In the performance of duty, PNP members shall
respect human dignity and uphold human rights of all persons. No members
inflict, instigate or tolerate extra-judicial killing, arbitrary arrest, any act of torture
or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and shall not
invoke superior orders or exceptional circumstances such as state-of-war, a threat
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to national security, internal political instability or any public emergency as a
justification for committing such human rights violations.
10. Devotion to Duty - All PNP members shall perform their duties with dedication,
thoroughness, efficiency, enthusiasm, determination, and manifest concern for
public welfare, and shall refrain from engaging in any activity which shall be in
conflict with their duties as public servants.
11. Conservation of Natural Resources - All members of the PNP shall help in the
development and conservation of our natural resources for ecological balance and
posterity as these are the inalienable heritage of our people.
12. Discipline - PNP policemen shall conduct themselves at all times in keeping with
the rules and regulation of the organization. All policemen at all levels shall
adhere to the tenets of discipline.
13. Loyalty – Above all, PNP members must be loyal to the Constitution and the
police service as manifested by their loyalty to their superiors, peers and
subordinates as well.
14. Obedience to Superiors - PNP members shall obey lawful orders and be
courteous to superior officers and other appropriate authorities within the chain of
command. No members shall use abusive, insulting or indecent language to
another member.
15. Command Responsibility - In accordance with the Doctrine on Command
Responsibility, immediate commanders shall be responsible for the effective
supervision, control and direction of their personnel and shall see to it that all
government resources shall be managed, expended or utilized in accordance with
laws and regulations and safeguard against losses thru illegal or improper
disposition.
The Ethical Standards
Ethical Standards shall refer to established and generally accepted moral values.
Ethical acts to be observed are the following:
a. Morality - All PNP members shall adhere to high standards of morality and
decency and shall set good example for others to follow. Hence, among others,
and in no instance during their terms of office shall they be involved as owners,
operators, managers or investors in any house of ill-repute or illegal gambling den
or other places devoted to vices; nor shall they patronize such places unless on
official duty, and tolerate operations of such establishments in their respective
areas of responsibilities. They shall be faithful to their lawfully wedded spouses.
b. Judicious Use of Authority - All PNP members shall exercise proper and
legitimate use of authority in the performance of duty.
c. Justice - PNP members shall strive constantly to respect the rights of other so that
they can fulfill their duties and exercise their rights as human beings, parents,
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children, workers, leaders, of in other capacities and to see to ensure that others
do likewise.
d. Humility - All PNP members shall recognize the fact that they are public servants
and not the master of the people and toward this end; they should perform their
duties without arrogance. They should also recognize their own inadequacies,
inabilities and limitations as individuals and perform their duties without
attracting attention or expecting the applause of others.
e. Orderliness - All PNP members shall follow logical procedure in accomplishing
task assigned to them to minimize waste in the use of time, money and efforts.
f. Perseverance - Once a decision is made, all PNP members shall take legitimate
means to achieve the goal even in the face of internal or external difficulties, and
despite of anything which might weaken their resolve in the course of time.
g. Integrity - PNP members shall not allow themselves to be victims of corruption
and dishonest practices in accordance with the provisions of RA 6713 and other
applicable laws.
Customs and Traditions
The PNP adopts the generally acceptable customs and traditions based on the
desirable practices of the police service. These shall serve as inspiration as the PNP
endeavors to attain its goals and objectives.
Courtesy is a manifestation or expression of consideration and respect for
others.
The following are customs on courtesy in the PNP:
1. Salute – salute is the usual greeting rendered by uniformed members upon and
recognizing person entitled to a salute.
2. Salute to National Color and Standards - Members stand at attention and salute
the national color and standard as it pass by them or when the national color is
raised or lowered during ceremonies.
3. Address/Title - Junior in rank address senior members who are entitled to salute
with the word ―Sir‖.
4. Courtesy Calls - The following are the customs on courtesy calls:
 Courtesy Call of Newly Assigned/Appointed Member - PNP members
who are newly appointed or assigned in a unit or command and to other
key personnel for accounting, orientation and other purposes.
 Christmas Call – PNP members pay a Christmas call on their local
executives in their respective area of responsibility.
 New Year’s Call - PNP members pay a new year’s call on their
commanders and /or key official in their respective areas of responsibility.
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Promotion Call – Newly promoted PNP members call on their unit head.
On this occasion, they are usually given due recognition and
congratulations by their peers for such deserved accomplishment.
 Exit Call - PNP members pays an exit call on their superiors in the unit or
command when relieved or reassigned out of the said unit or command.
5. Courtesy of the Post - The host unit extends hospitality to visiting personnel who
pay respect to the command or unit.
6. Rank Has-Its-Own Privilege (RHIP) - PNP members recognize the practice that
different rank carry with them corresponding privileges.
Police Customs on Ceremonies
Ceremony is a formal act or set of formal acts established by custom or authority

as proper to special occasion. The following are police customs on ceremonies:
1. Flag Raising Ceremony - PNP members honor the flag by raising it and singing
the National Anthem before the start of the official day’s work.
2. Flag Retreat Ceremony - At the end of the Official day’s work to PNP members
pause for a moment to salute the lowering of the flag.
3. Half–Mast - The flag is raised at half – mast in difference to decease uniformed
members of the command.
4. Funeral Service and Honors - Departed uniformed members, retirees, war
veterans or former PC/INP members are given vigil, necrological services and
graveside honors as a gesture of farewell.
5. Ceremony Tendered to Retirees - In recognition of their long, faithful and
honorable service to the PNP, a testimonial activity is tendered in their honor.
6. Honor Ceremony - Arrival and departure honor ceremonies are tendered to
visiting dignitaries, VIPs, PNP officers with the grade of Chief Superintendent
and above and AFP officers of equivalent grade, unless waived.
7. Turn-Over Ceremony - The relinquishment and assumption of command or key
position is publicly announced in a Turn-Over Ceremony by the outgoing and
incoming officers in the presence of the immediate superior or his representative.
8. Wedding Ceremony - During marriage of PNP members, a ceremony is
conducted with participants in uniform and swords drawn.
9. Anniversary - The birth or institutional establishment of a command or unit is
commemorated in an Anniversary Ceremony.
Police Customs on Social Decorum
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Customs on Social Decorum are set of norms and standards practiced by
members during social and other functions. The following are police customs on social
decorum:
1. Proper Attire - PNP members always wear appropriate and proper attire in
conformity with the occasion.
2. Table Manner - PNP members observe table etiquette at all times.
3. Social Graces - PNP members conduct themselves properly in dealing with the
people during social functions.
4. Uniform/ Appearance - The public looks upon PNP members as distinctively a
man among men. It is a welcome sight when PNP members wear their uniforms
properly wherever they may be. Since disciplined PNP members are best
exemplified by those whose are neat in appearance and wearing the prescribed
uniform, they must therefore observe the following:
 Wearing the prescribed uniform.
 Wearing as part of the uniform, awards and decorations earned in
accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations.
 Adherence to haircut prescribed by rules and regulations.
5. Manner of Walking - Every PNP member is expected to walk with pride and
dignity.
Other Police Customs
1. Visiting the Sick - PNP members who are sick in the hospital, their residence or
anyplace of confinement are visited by their immediate commanders or other
available officers of the unit in order that their needs are attended.
2. Survivor Assistance to Heirs of Deceased Members - When PNP members die,
a survivor officer is designated to render maximum assistance to their legitimate
bereaved family until all benefits due shall have been received.
3. Visiting a Religious Leaders – PNP Officers visit religious leader in their area of
assignment to establish or maintain rapport and cooperation between the different
religious leaders and the PNP.
4. Athletics - All PNP members must undergo in physical fitness activities to insure
their proper physical appearance and bearing are maintain with the waist line
measurement always smaller than the size of his chest and in conformity with the
standard set forth by the organization.
5. Happy Hours – Usually on Friday or on any other day suitable for the occasion,
PNP members gather together at their PNP club for a light hearted jesting or
airing of minor gripes.
Police Tradition
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Tradition is a body of belief, stories, customs and usages handed down from
generation to generation with the effect of an unwritten law. The following are police
traditions:
1. Spiritual Beliefs - PNP members are traditionally religious and God-loving
person. They attend religious services together with the members of their family.
2. Valor - History attests that Filipino law-enforcers have exemplified the tradition
of valor in defending the country from aggression and oppression. They sacrificed
their limbs and lives for the sake of their countrymen whom they have pledged to
serve.
3. Discipline - The discipline of PNP members are manifested by instinctive
obedience to lawful orders and through and spontaneous actions towards
attainment of organizational objectives guided by moral, ethical and legal norms.
4. Patriotism – The PNP members are traditionally patriotic by nature. They
manifest their love of country with a pledge of allegiance to the flag and a vow to
defend the constitution.
5. Gentlemanliness - The PNP members are upright in character, polite in manners,
dignified in appearance, and sincere in their concern to their fellowmen.
6. Word of Honor - PNP members’ word is their bond. They stand by and commit
to uphold it.
7. Duty – The PNP members have historically exemplified themselves as dedicated
public servants who perform their tasks with a deep sense of responsibility and
self-sacrifice. He shall readily accept assignment anywhere in the country.
8. Loyalty – The Policemen are traditionally loyal to the organization, country and
people as borne by history and practice.
9. Camaraderie – The binding spirit that enhances teamwork and cooperation in the
police organization, extending to the people they serve, is manifested by the PNP
members’ deep commitment and concern to one another.
Police Officer’s Pledge (POP)
1. I will love and serve God, my country and people;

2. I will uphold the Constitution and obey legal orders of the duly constituted
authorities;
3. I will obliged myself to maintain a high standard of morality and professionalism;
4. I will respect the customs and traditions of the police service; and
5. I will live a decent and virtuous life to serve as an example to others.
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Learning Activity
Activity No. 3
1.Enumerate the two (2) main virtues cultivated by Code of Ethics.

2.What do you understand about delicadeza?
3.Enumerate the professional conduct being observed by the PNP members.
4.Enumerate the ethical acts to be observed by the PNP members.
5.Differentiate flag raising ceremony and flag retreat ceremony.
6.Define the following:
a. Courtesy
b. Salute
c. Ceremony
d. Social Decorum
e. Tradition
f. Camaraderie
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Unit 4
Learning Outcomes

 Understand and acquire basic knowledge on the provisions of R.A. 6713.
Republic Act No. 6713
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICAL

STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES, TO UPHOLD THE
TIME-HONORED PRINCIPLE OF PUBLIC OFFICE BEING A PUBLIC TRUST,
GRANTING INCENTIVES AND REWARDS FOR EXEMPLARY SERVICE,
ENUMERATING PROHIBITED ACTS AND TRANSACTIONS AND
PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in

Congress assembled:
Section 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the "Code of Conduct and Ethical
Standards for Public Officials and Employees."
Section 2. Declaration of Policies. — It is the policy of the State to promote a high

standard of ethics in public service. Public officials and employees shall at all times
be accountable to the people and shall discharge their duties with utmost responsibility,
integrity, competence, and loyalty, act with patriotism and justice, lead modest lives, and
uphold public interest over personal interest.
Section 3. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:
(a) "Government" includes the national government, the local governments, and all
other instrumentalities, agencies or branches of the Republic of the Philippines
including government-owned or controlled corporations, and their subsidiaries.
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(b) "Public Officials" includes elective and appointive officials and employees,
permanent or temporary, whether in the career or non-career service, including
military and police personnel, whether or not they receive compensation,
regardless of amount.
(c) "Gift" refers to a thing or a right disposed of gratuitously, or any act or liberality,
in favor of another who accepts it, and shall include a simulated sale or an
ostensibly onerous disposition thereof. It shall not include an unsolicited gift of
nominal or insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a
favor from a public official or employee.
(d) "Receiving any gift" includes the act of accepting directly or indirectly, a gift
from a person other than a member of his family or relative as defined in this Act,
even on the occasion of a family celebration or national festivity like Christmas, if
the value of the gift is neither nominal nor insignificant, or the gift is given in
anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor.
(e) "Loan" covers both simple loan and commodatum as well as guarantees,
financing arrangements or accommodations intended to ensure its approval.
(f) "Substantial stockholder" means any person who owns, directly or indirectly,
shares of stock sufficient to elect a director of a corporation. This term shall also
apply to the parties to a voting trust.
(g) "Family of public officials or employees" means their spouses and unmarried
children under eighteen (18) years of age.
(h) "Person" includes natural and juridical persons unless the context indicates
otherwise.
(i) "Conflict of interest" arises when a public official or employee is a member of a
board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation or owner or
has a substantial interest in a business, and the interest of such corporation or
business, or his rights or duties therein, may be opposed to or affected by the
faithful performance of official duty.
(j) "Divestment" is the transfer of title or disposal of interest in property by
voluntarily, completely and actually depriving or dispossessing oneself of his
right or title to it in favor of a person or persons other than his spouse and
relatives as defined in this Act.
(k) "Relatives" refers to any and all persons related to a public official or employee
within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, including bilas, inso
and balae.
Section 4. Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees. — (A) Every public
official and employee shall observe the following as standards of personal conduct in the
discharge and execution of official duties:
(a) Commitment to public interest. — Public officials and employees shall always
uphold the public interest over and above personal interest. All government
resources and powers of their respective offices must be employed and used
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efficiently, effectively, honestly and economically, particularly to avoid wastage
in public funds and revenues.
(b) Professionalism. — Public officials and employees shall perform and discharge
their duties with the highest degree of excellence, professionalism, intelligence
and skill. They shall enter public service with utmost devotion and dedication to
duty. They shall endeavor to discourage wrong perceptions of their roles as
dispensers or peddlers of undue patronage.
(c) Justness and sincerity. — Public officials and employees shall remain true to the
people at all times. They must act with justness and sincerity and shall not
discriminate against anyone, especially the poor and the underprivileged. They
shall at all times respect the rights of others, and shall refrain from doing acts
contrary to law, good morals, good customs, public policy, public order, public
safety and public interest. They shall not dispense or extend undue favors on
account of their office to their relatives whether by consanguinity or affinity
except with respect to appointments of such relatives to positions considered
strictly confidential or as members of their personal staff whose terms are
coterminous with theirs.
(d) Political neutrality. — Public officials and employees shall provide service to
everyone without unfair discrimination and regardless of party affiliation or
preference.
(e) Responsiveness to the public. — Public officials and employees shall extend
prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the public. Unless otherwise provided
by law or when required by the public interest, public officials and employees
shall provide information of their policies and procedures in clear and
understandable language, ensure openness of information, public consultations
and hearings whenever appropriate, encourage suggestions, simplify and
systematize policy, rules and procedures, avoid red tape and develop an
understanding and appreciation of the socio-economic conditions prevailing in the
country, especially in the depressed rural and urban areas.
(f) Nationalism and patriotism. — Public officials and employees shall at all times
be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino people, promote the use of locally
produced goods, resources and technology and encourage appreciation and pride
of country and people. They shall endeavor to maintain and defend Philippine
sovereignty against foreign intrusion.
(g) Commitment to democracy. — Public officials and employees shall commit
themselves to the democratic way of life and values, maintain the principle of
public accountability, and manifest by deeds the supremacy of civilian authority
over the military. They shall at all times uphold the Constitution and put loyalty to
country above loyalty to persons or party.
(h) Simple living. — Public officials and employees and their families shall lead
modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall not indulge in
extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form.
58
(B) The Civil Service Commission shall adopt positive measures to promote (1)
observance of these standards including the dissemination of information programs and
workshops authorizing merit increases beyond regular progression steps, to a limited
number of employees recognized by their office colleagues to be outstanding in their
observance of ethical standards; and (2) continuing research and experimentation on
measures which provide positive motivation to public officials and employees in raising
the general level of observance of these standards.
Section 5. Duties of Public Officials and Employees. — In the performance of their

duties, all public officials and employees are under obligation to:
(a) Act promptly on letters and requests. — All public officials and employees shall,
within fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters,
telegrams or other means of communications sent by the public. The reply must
contain the action taken on the request.
(b) Submit annual performance reports. — All heads or other responsible officers of
offices and agencies of the government and of government-owned or controlled
corporations shall, within forty-five (45) working days from the end of the year,
render a performance report of the agency or office or corporation concerned.
Such report shall be open and available to the public within regular office hours.
(c) Process documents and papers expeditiously. — All official papers and
documents must be processed and completed within a reasonable time from the
preparation thereof and must contain, as far as practicable, not more than three (3)
signatories therein. In the absence of duly authorized signatories, the official next-
in-rank or officer–in-charge shall sign for and in their behalf.
(d) Act immediately on the public's personal transactions. — All public officials
and employees must attend to anyone who wants to avail himself of the services
of their offices and must, at all times, act promptly and expeditiously.
(e) Make documents accessible to the public. — All public documents must be made
accessible to, and readily available for inspection by, the public within reasonable
working hours.
Section 6. System of Incentives and Rewards. — A system of annual incentives and

rewards is hereby established in order to motivate and inspire public servants to uphold
the highest standards of ethics. For this purpose, a Committee on Awards to Outstanding
Public Officials and Employees is hereby created composed of the following: the
Ombudsman and Chairman of the Civil Service Commission as Co-Chairmen, and the
Chairman of the Commission on Audit, and two government employees to be appointed
by the President, as members.
It shall be the task of this Committee to conduct a periodic, continuing review of

the performance of public officials and employees, in all the branches and agencies of
Government and establish a system of annual incentives and rewards to the end that due
59
recognition is given to public officials and employees of outstanding merit on the basis of
the standards set forth in this Act.
The conferment of awards shall take into account, among other things, the
following: the years of service and the quality and consistency of performance, the
obscurity of the position, the level of salary, the unique and exemplary quality of a
certain achievement, and the risks or temptations inherent in the work. Incentives and
rewards to government officials and employees of the year to be announced in public
ceremonies honoring them may take the form of bonuses, citations, directorships in
government-owned or controlled corporations, local and foreign scholarship grants, paid
vacations and the like. They shall likewise be automatically promoted to the next higher
position with the commensurate salary suitable to their qualifications. In case there is no
next higher position or it is not vacant, said position shall be included in the budget of the
office in the next General Appropriations Act. The Committee on Awards shall adopt its
own rules to govern the conduct of its activities.
Section 7. Prohibited Acts and Transactions. — In addition to acts and omissions of

public officials and employees now prescribed in the Constitution and existing laws, the
following shall constitute prohibited acts and transactions of any public official and
employee and are hereby declared to be unlawful:
(a) Financial and material interest. — Public officials and employees shall not,
directly or indirectly, have any financial or material interest in any transaction
requiring the approval of their office.
(b) Outside employment and other activities related thereto. — Public officials and
employees during their incumbency shall not:
(1) Own, control, manage or accept employment as officer, employee,
consultant, counsel, broker, agent, trustee or nominee in any private
enterprise regulated, supervised or licensed by their office unless expressly
allowed by law;
(2) Engage in the private practice of their profession unless authorized by the
Constitution or law, provided, that such practice will not conflict or tend to
conflict with their official functions; or
(3) Recommend any person to any position in a private enterprise which has a
regular or pending official transaction with their office.
These prohibitions shall continue to apply for a period of one (1) year after
resignation, retirement, or separation from public office, except in the case of
subparagraph (b) (2) above, but the professional concerned cannot practice his profession
in connection with any matter before the office he used to be with, in which case the one-
year prohibition shall likewise apply.
60
(c) Disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information. — Public officials and
employees shall not use or divulge, confidential or classified information
officially known to them by reason of their office and not made available to the
public, either:
(1) To further their private interests, or give undue advantage to anyone; or
(2) To prejudice the public interest.
(d) Solicitation or acceptance of gifts. — Public officials and employees shall not
solicit or accept, directly or indirectly, any gift, gratuity, favor, entertainment,
loan or anything of monetary value from any person in the course of their official
duties or in connection with any operation being regulated by, or any transaction
which may be affected by the functions of their office.
As to gifts or grants from foreign governments, the Congress consents to:

(a) The acceptance and retention by a public official or employee of a gift of nominal
value tendered and received as a souvenir or mark of courtesy;
(b) The acceptance by a public official or employee of a gift in the nature of a
scholarship or fellowship grant or medical treatment; or
(c) The acceptance by a public official or employee of travel grants or expenses for
travel taking place entirely outside the Philippine (such as allowances,
transportation, food, and lodging) of more than nominal value if such acceptance
is appropriate or consistent with the interests of the Philippines, and permitted by
the head of office, branch or agency to which he belongs.
The Ombudsman shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out
the purpose of this subsection, including pertinent reporting and disclosure requirements.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to restrict or prohibit any educational,

scientific or cultural exchange programs subject to national security requirements.
Section 8. Statements and Disclosure. — Public officials and employees have an

obligation to accomplish and submit declarations under oath of, and the public has the
right to know, their assets, liabilities, net worth and financial and business interests
including those of their spouses and of unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of
age living in their households.
(A) Statements of Assets and Liabilities and Financial Disclosure. — All public
officials and employees, except those who serve in an honorary capacity, laborers and
casual or temporary workers, shall file under oath their Statement of Assets, Liabilities
and Net Worth and a Disclosure of Business Interests and Financial Connections and
those of their spouses and unmarried children under eighteen (18) years of age living in
their households.
The two documents shall contain information on the following:

61
(1) real property, its improvements, acquisition costs, assessed value and
current fair market value;
(2) personal property and acquisition cost;
(3) all other assets such as investments, cash on hand or in banks, stocks,
bonds, and the like;
(4) liabilities, and;
(5) all business interests and financial connections.
The documents must be filed:

(a) within thirty (30) days after assumption of office;
(b) on or before April 30, of every year thereafter; and
(c) within thirty (30) days after separation from the service.
All public officials and employees required under this section to file the
aforestated documents shall also execute, within thirty (30) days from the date of their
assumption of office, the necessary authority in favor of the Ombudsman to obtain from
all appropriate government agencies, including the Bureau of Internal Revenue, such
documents as may show their assets, liabilities, net worth, and also their business
interests and financial connections in previous years, including, if possible, the year when
they first assumed any office in the Government.
Husband and wife who are both public officials or employees may file the
required statements jointly or separately.
The Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth and the Disclosure of
Business Interests and Financial Connections shall be filed by:
(1) Constitutional and national elective officials, with the national office of the
Ombudsman;
(2) Senators and Congressmen, with the Secretaries of the Senate and the House of
Representatives, respectively; Justices, with the Clerk of Court of the Supreme
Court; Judges, with the Court Administrator; and all national executive officials
with the Office of the President;
(3) Regional and local officials and employees, with the Deputy Ombudsman in their
respective regions;
(4) Officers of the armed forces from the rank of colonel or naval captain, with the
Office of the President, and those below said ranks, with the Deputy Ombudsman
in their respective regions; and
(5) All other public officials and employees, defined in Republic Act No. 3019, as
amended, with the Civil Service Commission.
(B) Identification and disclosure of relatives. — It shall be the duty of every public
official or employee to identify and disclose, to the best of his knowledge and
information, his relatives in the Government in the form, manner and frequency
prescribed by the Civil Service Commission.
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(C) Accessibility of documents. —
(1) Any and all statements filed under this Act, shall be made available for inspection
at reasonable hours.
(2) Such statements shall be made available for copying or reproduction after ten (10)
working days from the time they are filed as required by law.
(3) Any person requesting a copy of a statement shall be required to pay a reasonable
fee to cover the cost of reproduction and mailing of such statement, as well as the
cost of certification.
(4) Any statement filed under this Act shall be available to the public for a period of
ten (10) years after receipt of the statement. After such period, the statement may
be destroyed unless needed in an ongoing investigation.
(D) Prohibited acts. — It shall be unlawful for any person to obtain or use any statement
filed under this Act for:
(a) any purpose contrary to morals or public policy; or
(b) any commercial purpose other than by news and communications media for
dissemination to the general public.
Section 9. Divestment. — A public official or employee shall avoid conflicts of interest

at all times. When a conflict of interest arises, he shall resign from his position in any
private business enterprise within thirty (30) days from his assumption of office and/or
divest himself of his shareholdings or interest within sixty (60) days from such
assumption.
The same rule shall apply where the public official or employee is a partner in a
partnership.
The requirement of divestment shall not apply to those who serve the Government
in an honorary capacity nor to laborers and casual or temporary workers.
Section 10. Review and Compliance Procedure. — (a) The designated Committees of
both Houses of the Congress shall establish procedures for the review of statements to
determine whether said statements which have been submitted on time, are complete, and
are in proper form. In the event a determination is made that a statement is not so filed,
the appropriate Committee shall so inform the reporting individual and direct him to take
the necessary corrective action.
(b) In order to carry out their responsibilities under this Act, the designated
Committees of both Houses of Congress shall have the power within their respective
jurisdictions, to render any opinion interpreting this Act, in writing, to persons covered by
this Act, subject in each instance to the approval by affirmative vote of the majority of
the particular House concerned.
63
The individual to whom an opinion is rendered and any other individual involved
in a similar factual situation, and who, after issuance of the opinion acts in good faith in
accordance with it shall not be subject to any sanction provided in this Act.
(c) The heads of other offices shall perform the duties stated in subsections (a)
and (b) hereof insofar as their respective offices are concerned, subject to the approval of
the Secretary of Justice, in the case of the Executive Department and the Chief Justice of
the Supreme Court, in the case of the Judicial Department.
Section 11. Penalties. — (a) Any public official or employee, regardless of whether or
not he holds office or employment in a casual, temporary, holdover, permanent or regular
capacity, committing any violation of this Act shall be punished with a fine not exceeding
the equivalent of six (6) months' salary or suspension not exceeding one (1) year, or
removal depending on the gravity of the offense after due notice and hearing by the
appropriate body or agency. If the violation is punishable by a heavier penalty under
another law, he shall be prosecuted under the latter statute. Violations of Sections 7, 8 or
9 of this Act shall be punishable with imprisonment not exceeding five (5) years, or a fine
not exceeding five thousand pesos (P5,000), or both, and, in the discretion of the court of
competent jurisdiction, disqualification to hold public office.
(b) Any violation hereof proven in a proper administrative proceeding shall be
sufficient cause for removal or dismissal of a public official or employee, even if no
criminal prosecution is instituted against him.
(c) Private individuals who participate in conspiracy as co-principals, accomplices
or accessories, with public officials or employees, in violation of this Act, shall be subject
to the same penal liabilities as the public officials or employees and shall be tried jointly
with them.
(d) The official or employee concerned may bring an action against any person
who obtains or uses a report for any purpose prohibited by Section 8 (D) of this Act. The
Court in which such action is brought may assess against such person a penalty in any
amount not to exceed twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000.00). If another sanction
hereunder or under any other law is heavier, the latter shall apply.
Section 12. Promulgation of Rules and Regulations, Administration and Enforcement

of this Act. — The Civil Service Commission shall have the primary responsibility for
the administration and enforcement of this Act. It shall transmit all cases for prosecution
arising from violations of this Act to the proper authorities for appropriate action:
Provided, however, That it may institute such administrative actions and disciplinary
measures as may be warranted in accordance with law. Nothing in this provision shall be
construed as a deprivation of the right of each House of Congress to discipline its
Members for disorderly behavior.
The Civil Service Commission is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and

regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, including guidelines for
individuals who render free voluntary service to the Government. The Ombudsman shall
64
likewise take steps to protect citizens who denounce acts or omissions of public officials
and employees which are in violation of this Act.
Section 13. Provisions for More Stringent Standards. — Nothing in this Act shall be
construed to derogate from any law, or any regulation prescribed by anybody or agency,
which provides for more stringent standards for its official and employees.
Section 14. Appropriations. — The sum necessary for the effective implementation of
this Act shall be taken from the appropriations of the Civil Service Commission.
Thereafter, such sum as may be needed for its continued implementation shall be
included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.
Section 15. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act or the application of such
provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act or
the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected
by such declaration.
Section 16. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees and orders or parts thereof
inconsistent herewith, are deemed repealed or modified accordingly, unless the same
provide for a heavier penalty.
Section 17. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect after thirty (30) days following the
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of
general circulation.
Approved, February 20, 1989.
65
Learning Activities
Activity No. 4
1. Under Section 1. What is the title of Republic Act No. 6713?

2. Under Section 3. Define the following terms:
a. Government
b. Public Officials
c. Gift
d. Conflict of Interest
e. Relatives
3. Under Section 7. Prohibited Acts and Transactions, discuss the following:
a. Financial and material interest.
b. Outside employment and other activities related thereto.
c. Disclosure and/or misuse of confidential information.
d. Solicitation or acceptance of gifts.
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Thank you for answering, Good luck and God Speed!
67
ASSESSMENT
1. Make a comparison table showing the difference between Ethics and Law.
2. As a future Police Officer, write the Police Officer’s Pledge (POP).
68
GLOSSARY
Anniversary - the birth or institutional establishment of a command or unit it is

commemorated in an anniversary ceremony.
Camaraderie - the binding spirit that enhances teamwork and cooperation in the police
organization, extending to the people they serve, is manifested by the PNP members deep
commitment and concern to one another.
Ceremony - a formal act or set of formal acts established by customs or authority as
proper to a special occasion.
Code of Ethics - an important agency for social control, promulgated for all professions
and prescribes the duties of an individual towards others.
Commutative Justice - a virtue that regulates those actions that involve the rights that
exist between individual and others.
Conduct - refers to personal behavior.
Conflict of Interest - arises when a public official or employee is a member of a board,
an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation or owner or has a
substantial interest in business, and the interest of such corporation or business, or his
rights or duties therein, may be opposed to or affected by the faithful performance of
official duty.
Courtesy - it is a manifestation of sportsmanship of good manners, and an exposition of
gentility and culture.
Courtesy Call - a practice undertaken by police personnel who are newly assigned or
appointed to a unit or command to report or call on the chief of the unit or command and
to other key personnel for accounting, orientation and other purposes.
Creed - is a statement or statement of belief.
Custom - established usage or social practices carried on by tradition that has obtained
the force of law.
Devotion to Duty - police members performing their duties with dedication,
thoroughness, efficiency, enthusiasm, determination, and manifest concerned for public
welfare and shall refrain from engaging in any activity which shall be in conflict with
their duties.
Discipline - pertains to self-control and obedience. PNP members shall conduct
themselves at all times in keeping with the rule and regulation of the organization.
Distributive Justice - regulates the actions that involve the rights which an individual
may claim from society.
Divestment - the transfer of title or disposal of interest in property by voluntary,
completely and actually depriving or dispossessing oneself of his right or title to it in
favor of a person or persons other than his spouse and relatives.
Endurance - one’s ability to last.
Equality in the Service - a judicious and equitable distribution of opportunity to prove
one’s worth in the police service.
69
Esprit de Corps - refers to group spirit; sense of pride, honor shared by those in the same
group or undertaking.
Ethical Standards - shall refer to establish and generally accepted moral values.
Ethics - is branch of moral science that treats of the correct performance of public service
and human acts of a public officer.
Exit Call - the process wherein police personnel pay tribute to their superior in the unit or
command when relieved or resigned out of the said unit or command.
Flag Lowering Ceremony - at the end of the official day work, the PNP members pause
for a moment to salute the lowering of the flag.
Flag Raising Ceremony - the PNP members honor the flag by hoisting it and singing the
National Anthem before the plant of the official days work.
Fortitude - refers to man’s courage to endure without yielding. It is a virtue which incites
courage and characterized by firmness of the mind.
Gentlemanliness - refers to uprightness in character, gentle in manners dignified in
appearance, and sincere in their concern for their fellowmen.
Gift - refers to a thing or a right to dispose of gratuitously, or any act or liberality, in
favor of another who accepts it, and shall include a simulated sale or an ostensibly
onerous disposition thereof. It shall not include an unsolicited gift of nominal or
insignificant value not given in anticipation of, or in exchange for, a favor from a public
official or employee.
Greeting - brief expression of thought or salutation at a meeting.
Half Mast - the flag is raised at half-mast in deference to deceased uniformed members
of the command.
Happy Hours - usually on Fridays or any other days suitable for the occasion of PNP
members gather together at their PNP club for a light heated jesting or airing of minor
gripes.
Honesty - it is the virtue that speaks of the highest moral values of dignity and honor.
Honor Ceremony - arrival and departure honor ceremonies are rendered to visiting
dignitaries, VIP’s, PNP officers with the grade of chief superintendent and above and
AFP officers of equivalent grade, unless waived.
Human Rights - refers to human dignity and man’s inalienable right to life, liberty and
property.
Humility - all PNP personnel shall recognize the fact that they are public servants and
not the masters of the people and towards this end; they should perform their duties
without arrogance.
Integrity - is that ability to withstand temptation not merely to avoid, to maintain
integrity, we need to be above reproach but also above suspicion. And includes acts not
allowing themselves to be victims of corruption and dishonest practices.
Loyalty - allegiance to the state and the constitution.
Malversation - means corrupt administration, misuse or wastage.
Moral Character - refers to an evaluation of a person’s moral and mental qualities such
an evaluation is subjective.
Morality - is the quality of measure of human act which are good, bad or indifferent. A
high standard of decency and setting good examples for others to follow.
70
Moral Values - it concerns those actions that pertain to one’s duties towards others.
Non-Partisanship - PNP members shall provide services to everyone without
discrimination regardless of party affiliation in accordance with existing laws and
regulation.
Non-Uniformed - refers to all civilian non-police personnel assigned to the various
auxiliary or support unit.
Non-Solicitation of Patronage - police personnel seeking self-improvement through
career development and not directly or indirectly soliciting influence recommendation
from politicians, high ranking government officials, prominent citizens, and person
affiliated with civic or religious organization with regard to their assignment, promotion
and transfers.
Personal Dignity - is indicative of a policeman’s appreciation of the honor of his
position. It is an excellent manifestation of his ―esprit de corps‖ and is a powerful factor
in creating public respect.
Perseverance - refers to the ability to proceed and go on despite of opposition or
obstacles.
Police Ethics - a practical science that deals with principles of human morality and duty
as applied to law enforcement.
Police Lifestyle - refers to acceptable and respectable way of living in the eyes of the
public. Setting good example to the subordinates and following good example from the
superiors. Free from greed, corruption and exploitation. The public expects a police
officer to live a simple yet credible and dignified life.
Professional Ethics - the practice of a profession cannot be entirely regulated legislations
each profession therefore subscribe to a set of moral rules which serves as their guide in
the practice of their profession special where the law is silent or inadequate.
Prudence - it is one’s ability to govern and discipline himself by means of sound
judgment and reason.
Responsibility - the obligation to perform duties and functions as a consequence of
activities under one’s command.
RHIP - Rank has its Own Privilege. Police members recognizing the practice that
different position carry with them corresponding benefits.
Rights - refers to one’s moral power to own, use, or to exact something.
Salute - is the usual greeting rendered by uniformed acts establishment by customs or
authority persons entitled to a salute.
Secrecy Discipline - confidentiality of classified information against unauthorized
disclosure including confidential aspect of official business, special orders,
communication and others documents, roster of personnel or any portion thereof.
Self Confidence - faith in oneself and it is predicated upon knowledge, skill in applying
knowledge and in the ability and willingness to pass one’s knowledge on the benefit of
others. It is a mental satisfaction that arises from being able to put the possession of
knowledge to constructive cause.
Social Decorum - refers to set of norms and standards practiced by members during
social and other function.
Temperance - refers to one’s ability to moderate or avoid something.
71
Tradition - refers to bodies of beliefs, stories, customs, and usages handed down from
generation to generation with the effect of an unwritten law.
Turn-Over Ceremony - the relinquishment and assumption of command or key position
is publicly announced in a turn-over ceremony by the out-going and incoming officers in
the presence of the immediate superior or his representative.
Valor - courage in the line of duty.
Values - refers to something that a person prices, cherishes and esteems or something
important to him. It includes ideas, things or experiences. Shared conceptions on beliefs
and convictions in what is considered as contributory to the welfare of the group.
Virtue - a habit which inclines man to act harmoniously with nature. A virtue is a
character trait which is evaluated as being good.
Word of Honor - the act of standing by and committing to uphold a spoken promise.
72
REFERENCES
Books:
Florendo, Adelene M. (2012). Police Ethics and Police Community Relations, 3rd
Ed.
Guevara, Ricardo M. (2014). Ethics and Values for Law Enforcers, 2nd Ed.
73

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MODULE ON ETHICS

Bachelor of Science in Criminology at Jose Rizal Memorial State University - Tampilisan

84.30% Board Examination Rating, self-reviewed. In his desire of teaching, as required

Justice with specialization in Criminology at Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Main

Just to develop and enhance his knowledge in criminology profession, he attended

training for faculty development in criminology at Professional Academy of the

connected in Southern Peninsula College of Labason, Zamboanga del Norte.

This humble work is lovingly and heartily dedicated to my family. To my wife

ROSE MAE, to my father NARCISO, to my mother ELMA, to my brother RONIE, to

my sister ANNABEL, and lastly to my nephews AARON and RAILY.

invaluable assistance cannot put as under:

accommodation and for allowing us to borrow some books.

encouragement, my gratitude is extended.

RONALD BERADIO ERAN, RCrim, MSCrim (CAR)

sleepless nights just to come up with this humble work.

given profession ―Law Enforcement‖.

for Public Officials and Employees, is also covered in this Module.

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

OVERVIEW ON THE HISTORY OF ETHICS

Five (5) Significant Periods of History about Ethics

1. The Classical Period

The Classical Period

Qualities of mind during this period according to Jones, et. al:

Philosophers and their Principal Works:

1. Plato The Republic

The Middle Ages

This period is considered to be a study of continuity and discontinuity. It is

Philosophers and their Principal Works:

1. Boethius His Consolation of Philosophy

The Early Modern Period

The philosophy that develops during this period is the following:

1. Nicolo Machiavelli The Prince

The Nineteenth Century

Several tendencies characterized this period:

Philosophers and their Principal Works:

1. Jeremy Bentham An Introduction to the Principles of

The Contemporary Period

Philosophers and their Principal Works:

1. Sigmund Freud Civilization and its Discontents

As a field of study, ethics is a branch of philosophy which studies the principles of

Other definitions of Ethics:

 The science of the morality of man.

Ethics outlines theories of right or wrong, morality translate these theories

Ethics as a term is also used to signify specific connotations such as:

Ethics and Law

Study of human motivation. Concerned with what we do, not what we

Ethics is a personal commitment to uphold what is true and good. Ethics

Human Acts Acts of Man

Essential Attributes of Human Acts

1. It must be performed by a conscious agent who is aware of what he is doing and

Kinds of Human Acts

Classification of Actions According to the Norms of Morality

1. Moral (good) actions

Conditional voluntariness – is present in a person who is forced by circumstances

Simple voluntariness – is present in a person doing an act willfully, regardless of

Direct voluntariness – accompanies an act which is primarily intended by the doer,

Indirect voluntariness – accompanies an act or situation which is the mere result of a

The Modifiers of Human Acts

1. Ignorance – absence of knowledge which a person ought to possess.

a. Positive emotions – love, desire, delight, hope, and bravery.

3. Fear - disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by an impending danger

Fear is an instinct for self-preservation. We even fear new experiences or

Bodily torture, maltreatment, isolation, and mutilation are examples of violence

Action and Emotion