INTRODUCTION

May pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay. May pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay. May pulis,

may pulis, may pulis, may pulis, may pulis sa ilalim ng tulay.

This song is often heard in children's nursery songs and this is what mothers sing to their

babies to make them laugh. The lyrics of the song are repeated until the end without mentioning

what does the police are doing under the bridge. Maybe the police are doing his duty in our

country so he is under the bridge or maybe he’s burying something in the ground. It might be a

treasure, or it might be the justice he has killed. Hidden in his nice uniform that signifies as the

protector of people where he hides the justice he buried and killed. While he is respected by all

and looked up to him as a role model, he is hiding some skeleton in his closet. Those are the

crimes he has committed that are against the law and committing brutality and violating the

rights of the oppressed.

Police brutality is refers to the use of excessive or unnecessary force beyond the means

of normal protocol perform by personnel affiliated with law enforcement duty when dealing

with suspects and civilian. Police actions and the misuse of power against the civilian are

constantly happening today anywhere in the country. Crimes were continuesly increasing

everyday, especially in the area where a lot of crimes are happening. Some of the personnel

conduct inappropriate and illegal actions in connection with their official duties, that is why

people are gradually losing their trust to the ability of law enforcers. There are people who are

caught by force even though they are not involved in the crime committed, planting evidence to
say that a person was involved in the crime. Every person that are experiencing some kind of

violence are continues to go blind not because they see nothing but because they themselves

are the victim. Victims of violence whose law is only for the rich, that justice is only for those who

have a lot of money. A lot of issues are spreading worldwide confronting to the ethics of law

enforcers, involving in crimes and abusing the human rights. The law enforcement agents that

are involve are failing to follow the standard of their police ethics. Some of irresponsible

enforcers kills the innocent people, they think that they are more superior and powerful to them.

They abusing the weakness, the defenseless citizens. They are neglecting their responsibilities as

law enforcers and as protectors of the oppressed. Law enforcers are the one who protect the

whole people against the abusers, but why do they themselves abuse those people who cannot

defend themselves. They shall enforce the law impartially, equally equal to all human rights.

Some are saying the law is not just for politicians, but for everyone, whether poor or rich but why

some of enforcers are violating the rights of the people.

As a citizens of this country and as a student studying criminology, it is important to focus

on such a police system today. Because the trust given to the organization will be lost if such

work will continue. People will recognize the police as a criminal and not as the enforcers

enforcing the law, young children will be scared and they will probably no longer respect the law

enforcers. The next generation who are studying criminology that is becoming a law enforcers

someday may no longer be trusted by the people because of the irresponsibility, and a lot of

issues confronting to other police today.

 This paper aims to explain the reason why some of the personnel are performing such

activities that can defile their organization and tarnish their reputation and their profession. To

know the reason why this is still happening despite of the problems that are facing of our country

today. This paper also aims to inform the readers that their human rights against the brutalities

committed by the police today must be respected. To give them a knowledge that they are more

superior rather than the law enforcers, they give power and responsibilities to the police to do

their duties in our country. This paper also aims to realize that people should be served by the

police and not to be a victim of brutality and violence.

 DISCUSSION

HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM

“Our country is no longer new to violence at the hands of the police because

it just happened before the time of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos” (Miranda,

2020). Our country has experienced abuse and violence since the time of our

ancestors because the country was then subjected to martial law, wherein there

were many police who scattered in street and the violence are allowed to

performed. Many people are arrested mostly without a warrant and many people

are also tortured and killed. This period is considered by many to be one of the

darkest parts of the country’s history. But that is not the end of the brutality of the

police, even after the end of martial law, now in the so-called period of democracy

and power of the people, Law enforcers still continue to abuse people that are

hidden from the eyes of the public and the media. The torture, abuses and killings

in this administration are continue and seemingly encouraged, ordering the police

to “shoot-to-kill”. The numbers of extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses as

part of its war on drugs is increasing. And a lot of crimes have been committed by

law enforcement, here are some of the past attempts done by the law enforcers.
 On August 16, 2017 a sventeen-year-old Kian Delos Santos was killed near

his home in Caloocan City. He was accused by police of being a drug runner and

Delos Santos was said to have “fought back” when he was being apprehended by

the Caloocan police. CCTV video released later showed policemen dragging Kian

through the streets and shooting him, although officers initially said the victim shot

at them and they were merely defending themselves. Three Philippine police

officers have been found guilty and sentenced them to up to 40 years in prison each

for the killing of 17-year-old Kian Delos SanSanto

The 3 years old Myca Ulpina was killed after being shot during a police raid

targeting her father, Renato Dolofrina. The officer claimed that the father used his

child as a shield during operation. The officers enforcing the “drug war” have been

shown the manufacture evidence such as planting weapons and drugs to justify

killings.

Many victims of the war on drug campaign that were killed, and most of them are

the youths and innocent people whose suspected of using drugs. Two months after

the killing the police were ordered to stop the anti-drugs campaign. This cases
serves warning to members of the Philippine National Police to respect the due

process and the rights of civilians as they do their job.

On April 27, 2017 the Commission of Human Rights raided the Manila Police

District station 1 in Tondo, Manila, Philippines and discovered a secret detention

facility hidden behind the bookshelf. Where kidnapped drug suspect were kept,

these prisoners inside the said cell were being held by the police allegedly to be

released only upon payment for their freedom. The MPD jail cell was not the first

such secret police detention in the Philippines. The discovery of a secret torture cell

facility in Biñan, Laguna discovered on January 2014. Where officers allegedly

routinely tortured inmates for fun in a game of roulette which had markings

indicating the kind of torture to be used on the detainees. Dela rosa defended the

cops involved in the secret jail and criticizes the conduct of raid operation of

Commission of Human Rights . “There is nothing wrong with the secret jail, as long

as cops were not corrupt and abusive” Dela Rosa said. The personnel that are

involved will not only be suspended, but also be held accountable in a court of law.
On July 2020, 15 year old Fabel Pineda killed after she filed a complaint against a

policeman who molested her for violating quarantine curfew. According to the

report Pineda requested for a security escort to accompany her and their family

home but was denied. Pineda was on a motorcycle ride home with her family from

the police station when two riding-in-tandem assailants knocked down their

motorcycle and gunned her down. By the time she was brought to a local hospital,

she was declared dead on arrival.

In Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines, when a civilian police officer, Jonel Nuezca, fatally

shot the mother-and-son on December 20, 2020. The incident started when Nuezca

had gone to investigate the Gregorios who were setting up a boga – an improvised

noisemaker cannon either made of bamboo or PVC pipe. The quarrel between the

two families got worse when Neuzca's daughter and Sonia got into a heated

argument that escalated until Nuezca shot the two victims. Even more disturbing

was when the chief of police forbade witnesses to take a video of a crime taking

place because it might have just been edited and the court might use “fabricated

evidence” to just tarnish their name and their profession. That is why many criticize
the police organization for defending some of a criminal who has committed a

crime.

A civilian from General Trias, Cavite died after he pumped nearly 300 times in

accordance with a police order as a corresponding punishment for his alleged

violation of Curfew hours just on April 4,2021. The victim was named Darren

Manaog who was mercilessly punished by the reactionary police. According to the

victim’s family, the young man came out only a short time after he bought water.

The family noticed his lack of gait after he return home and immediately convulsed

and later fainted. Unfortunately, the corpse was cold when the young man was

found in their house recently, at 10 pm. This is the abnormality of the government

giving a little power to the acquitted police and they are taking advantage to

anyone, now that someone has died their reasoning is unacceptable to many

people. And it is clearly seen that the excesses of the police brutality are now being

experienced because of government order . This is what happens when a

government backs up police brutality and ends up calling it as a discipline.

The police who are supposed to protect us from violence, but also

committing violence then whose gonna protect us from our protectors (Esquire,
2020 ). Who’s gonna protect us if the police are the reason why people experienced

violence. To whom do we call for help if our government itself orders the police to

do those things. The violence performed by the police has damaged countless lives

of Filipino children as well as the thousand of adults whose suspected of criminal

acts. The brutality committed by the law enforcement officers may negatively

affects people’s physical and psychological health that may leads them to untrust

the law enforcers and also the organization.

EXTENT OF THE PROBLEM

In our country the problem is not in the law itself, but to those who are

imposing the law. Most of these people are afraid to report and speak out about

the violence they have experienced from abusive police officers. After reporting to

the authorities others have been killed after leaving the institution. And some

highly officers tolerate the accusations against their comrades in order to keep

their image clean and to not tarnish their reputation and their organization. The

violence they show to people and to the public can change the way they look and

respect the law enforcement officers. The reputation of their profession and the

organization can be tarnished because of the violence perpetrated by other law

enforcement officers. The mistrust in one institution tends to carry over into other,

people compare another police officer to an officer who commits a crime. Because

if people are asked why they don’t trust the law enforcement they will only answer

one thing, because “they wear the same uniform”. Not only the name of the

organization will be affected but also the people of this country who are the center

of police brutality. These people are highly affected of brutality committed by the

law enforcement officers.

• People with different races, the police officer approaches and treating other races

differently. They approaching people as if they were a threat or they do not deserve

dignity and respect. It is just sad to think that on a normal day a person will

experience violence because they have different color and race than any other

people.

•Those people who are innocent whose suspected in committing a serious crime

that they did not commit. The drug on war campaign has killed thousands of people

and most of them are innocent who is not found guilty, they died and injured

because of false accusations by the law enforcement officers.

•Those people who are LGBTQ members are experiencing discrimination and

harassment at the hands of law enforcement officers. Homophobic law enforcers

are arresting LGBTQ individual based on biased beliefs and influence

investigations. According to Anna Vasquez, “Wrongful conviction happens as a

result of homophobia and prejudice against the LGBTQ community.”

•People experiencing homelessness might be in danger from the police just like any

other people who shot and killed by the law enforcers. Now that the world has a

Coronavirus disease many restrictions are performing. Homeless people have been

arrested for failing to comply with restrictions. The government in our country

warned that anyone who violates the lockdown restriction could be shot.

•Alleged criminals or violators of the law are not only the center of attention of

the police violence also the activists who want to obtain equal rights for the people.

Those people who are protesting against social injustices are also targeted by police

and subject to violence.

Those who cannot protect themselves against the violence and abuses are

the people who can’t fight against the power that the police have. The unlawful use

of force by police can result in people being deprived of their right to life. And it

violates the right of people to be free from discrimination, the right to liberty and

security, the right to equal protection of the law, and the right to live their life

without being frightened to the violence at the hands of law enforcement officers.
EFFECTS OF THE PROBLEM

High-profile officer-involved killings of unarmed civilians have sparked

nationwide. Majority of people are questioning about the appropriate role of law

enforcers in our country. The acts of police brutality may have widespread impacts

that go well beyond the individuals involved. This violence may negatively affects

the people’s physical and psychological health that leads them to untrust the law

enforcers and also the organization.

“Public health is about a population being healthy. When people experience

police brutality, they become unhealthy,” (Sirry Alang, Ph.D.,2020). The most direct

connection between police brutality and public health is the fact that police

brutality directly causes death and injury to their victims. A lot of people who dies

at the hands of law enforcers and many are hurt badly enough to go to the hospital.

A violence experienced by a person with the police causes health issues that are

not very noticeable by most. Some police are insuring that their victim will

experience severe injury to their physical health. The violence that people

experience has a severe impact on their health, they can hardly sleep and eat and

sometimes they even think of ending their lives. Due to the violence that the
victims experienced against abusive police officers, they develop anxiety and

depression which is one of the psychological health problems.

Police brutality may negatively affects the people’s psychological health that

causes depression, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal ideation to the

person involved. According to Jordan DeVylder, police violence may be associated

with mental health disparities, especially among racial/ethnic and sexual minorities

living in urban areas. Most people who experience violence are people with racial

backgrounds, people with different traditions and cultures that are different from

the average citizen of the country, and people living in cities where many criminals

live. Because of many criminals that are living in Cities there are also many people

are accused of being a criminal simply because of a suspicious act. Not only the

victim may experience the psychological problem but also the people who

witnessed the crime and especially the victim’s family. Who would never be

traumatized after seeing a loved one or member of any race injured or killed

unexpectedly due to any cause is horrific. People who are the victim of violence

who has experienced abuse from the law enforcers may led to think some suicidal

ideation. And may have suffer to post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) that has a

tendency toward suspicion, and problems with aggression. The victim of police

brutality will result in psychological issues that reminds the law enforcers a warning
to reduce violent behavior to the people specially those who cannot fight back and

defend themselves. When an incident to police violence happens we think that it

could happen to ourselves or maybe it could happen to our family or even to

someone we know. Person who saw the crime may also be the victim of police

brutality, most of the people who witnessed were keeping their mouths shut about

the crime they saw, perhaps they are frightened that they would be the next to kill

when they spoke. Police brutality has the largest effect for suicide attempts,

suicidal ideation and psychotic experiences of people.

Due to the violence perpetrated by some of the law enforcement officers

people no longer believe that the police can trust and protect them. The lack of

trust in law enforcement officers makes people less likely to call on the police when

they are in danger. According to Dr. Benjamin, “When people don't trust the police,

they don't tell the police stuff [about] other crimes and safety threats that occur in

the communities,” People may not cooperate in raid operations conducted by the

police because they no longer trust them. Sometimes such of this situation occurs

that result in a greater number of criminality in our country.

POSSIBLE FUTURE SOLUTIONS

Law enforcement officers who commits some brutal acts against people shall

deserve the highest form of punishment. Policemen shall imprint in their mind that

their loyalty is in nation and not with other politicians. Higher police officials shall

not defend and tolerates the acts perpetrated by their comrades in order to make

their reputation clean in the eyes of the public. The government shall not back up

police brutality and ends up calling it as a discipline. People who experienced

violence at the hands of the law enforcement officers have the right to file a

complaint against them, people shall knowledgeable that they have a right to say

out loud that they wish to remain silent, to refuse search of one’s body or their

property without probable cause, to leave calmly if they are not under arrest, the

right to consult an attorney before being questioned. People needs to tell everyone

about this, encouraging everyone to take a stand against this evil act so that no one

will become a victims of violence anymore. It’s not normal in people becomes

comfortable ignoring clear injustice act of law enforcement officers. It’s simply

because they are scared, everyone needs to speak out because each time people

remain silent in such situations it’s like they are indirectly choosing to support it

and also such crime perpetrated by our protectors will consistently takes place.
 CONCLUSION

The reason why police brutality are continuesly happening today is because

some high officials are supporting and defending the other police on the crime

they committed. Some officials are defending the police who have committed a

crime even if their colleague’s actually act in a manner that is really incorrect to

the eyes of the public and the law. It is consistently happening because

government backs up police brutality and ends up calling it as a discipline and

tolerate some acts that goes beyond the human rights of people. Now in our time

where everyone are aware in abusing people committed by the law enforcement

officers, wherein the cameras are always on and recording what is actually

happening, wherein the violence are not hidden anymore from the eyes of the

public and the media. But despite of the incidents captured by the lens of their

camera, law enforcement officers are still continuing to commit brutality against

people. And even if the camera captures a real crime, their always defense is that

victims fought back. If the crime was not captured through the lens of the camera,

there will be no justice and fairness to the victims. No wonder why people are

questioning about the appropriate role of the law enforcers in our country. The
mistrust in one institution tends to carry over into other and that’s the reason why

people compare another police officer to an officer who commits a crime. And even

a policeman that has dignity and has a commitment to his sworn duty in the

country some are still able to be criticized for the crimes committed by other

policemen. Police brutality has a huge impact not just to their organization but also

to people who considered as the victims. People with different races, people who

are innocent whose suspected in committing a serious crime that they did not

commit, people who are the members of LGBTQ, people experiencing

homelessness, and those activists who wants to obtain equal protection of law.

These people are at high risk because they cannot protect themselves against the

violence and fight against the power that the police have. This brutality of the law

enforcement officers have a negative effects of people’s physical and

psychological health that leads them to untrust the law enforcers and also the

organization. A lot of people knows that police brutality directly causes physical

health issues like death and injury of the victims and it also affects the mental

health disparities of a person involved. There are still policemen who are true to

their oath in our country who respect the due process of law and especially

respecting the rights of the people. Because at the end of the day Police are still

the public servant and not the public who will serves the police.
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