Law Summary
Objectives and Purpose
- Enhance discipline and ensure professional conduct among PNP members.
- Establish guidelines and procedures for the Delinquency Reporting (DR) System.
- Institutionalize community involvement and service as an integral part of the DR System.
- Serve as a preventive measure to reduce minor infractions by enabling on-the-spot corrective actions.
- Reinforce proper decorum among police personnel.
Key Definitions
- Administrative Officer: Designated administrative head of every police unit from precinct to national levels.
- Community Service: Tasks assigned to offending personnel such as tree planting, cleanup drives, and information campaigns, administered by local government or police directors; must be humane, legal, and rendered during rest days in athletic uniform.
- Chief of Office: Highest ranking PNP officer-in-command at a given unit.
- Delinquency Report: Official report documenting minor infractions by police personnel.
- Demerit: Numerical mark penalizing a minor infraction.
- Discipline: Attitude ensuring prompt obedience and proper conduct.
- Explanation: Written response by the accused officer concerning the infraction.
- Minor Infractions: Specific list of prohibited minor acts subject to penalties as detailed.
- Violator: PNP personnel committing minor infractions.
Demerit System and Infractions
- Minor infractions committed during or outside office hours subject offenders to assigned demerits.
- Examples of infractions and corresponding demerits:
- Unauthorized or improper uniform appearance: 5 demerits
- Tardiness: 5 demerits
- Smoking in unauthorized areas: 5 demerits
- Use of vulgar language or rudeness: 7 demerits
- Spitting or littering: 7 demerits
- Urinating in unauthorized places: 10 demerits
- Leaving post more than 2 minutes: 15 demerits
- Dozing on post or failure to act on complaints: 15 demerits
- Absence in formations/command activities: 20 demerits
- Maximum of 15 demerits allowed monthly or 90 per semester.
- Each excess demerit equals one hour of community service.
Delinquency Reporting Procedure
- Any citizen or official witnessing an infraction may file a delinquency report at the nearest precinct.
- The report must specify date, time, place, and nature of the infraction using a prescribed form.
- Delinquency Report forms are available to the public at all precincts.
Notice to Accused and Disposition Process
- The Administrative Officer promptly notifies accused personnel with a copy of the report.
- Accused must submit a written explanation within 24 hours.
- Chief of Office or Director reviews reports and explanations within 5 days to decide on the sufficiency of explanation or to impose demerits.
Monthly Monitoring and Recordkeeping
- Administrative Officers maintain official records of demerits per personnel.
- Monthly reports of demerits are submitted to the Chief of Office or Directors accordingly.
- Records transfer with the personnel upon reassignment.
Community Service Enforcement
- Based on monthly reports, those exceeding allowable demerits are ordered to perform community service.
- Orders transmitted to local mayor or police director for administration.
- Community service may include activities within the municipal jurisdiction or police camp premises.
- Service rendered during rest days in uniform.
- Mayor or authorized representative certifies completion under oath and reports back to police authorities.
Consequences for Accruing Excessive Demerits
- Poor rating in Performance Evaluation Rating (PER) for the evaluation period.
- Potential subject of disciplinary action.
- Recommendation for remedial training programs.
- Excessive demerits considered aggravating in disciplinary cases.
- May influence decisions on personnel reassignment or transfer.
Effectivity Clause
- Circular takes effect fifteen days after filing a copy with the University of the Philippines Law Center, per Executive Order No. 292 (Revised Administrative Code).
This system fosters police accountability through community engagement and structured corrective measures, aligning with the PNP’s reform goals of professionalism and community service orientation.