Policy, purpose, and system design
- The circular implements Republic Act No. 8551 policy that the police service must be a community and service-oriented organization.
- The circular enhances police discipline and ensures adherence to professional conduct among PNP members.
- It establishes guidelines, rules, and procedures for a Delinquency Reporting (DR) System in the PNP.
- It institutionalizes community involvement and service as an integral component of the DR System.
- The DR System is designed as a preventive measure to lessen the incidence of misdemeanors by on-the-spot corrections that eliminate or mitigate causes of wrongdoing.
- The DR System is also designed to remind and instill proper decorum among all PNP members.
Definitions and covered persons
- The circular applies to all officers and non-officers of the PNP (Section 1).
- Administrative Officer refers to the respective Administrative Officers of every police unit, from Police Community Precincts, City, Municipal, Provincial, Regional Offices, up to the Directorates, National Headquarters, Command Group, and National Support Units (Section 3(a)).
- Community Service refers to tasks, duties, and responsibilities rendered by the offending police personnel assigned at Municipal or City Police Stations or Police District Offices, upon written order by the Chief of Office; administration is by the Office of the Mayor of the city, town, or municipality with territorial jurisdiction over the operational unit, or by the appropriate Director (Provincial, Regional, or National Support Unit Director) for personnel assigned to PPO/PRO/NSU units (Section 3(b)).
- Community Service must not be interpreted to mean inhumane, immoral and illegal activity, and includes activities such as tree planting, clean-up drives, information dissemination campaigns, and other government vital and priority programs; it is administered only during rest days and in athletic uniform (Section 3(b)).
- Chief of Office means the highest-ranking PNP officer-in-command of the PNP office/unit (Section 3(c)).
- Delinquency Report means a report containing the minor infraction(s) committed by the police personnel, using the circular’s prescribed format (Section 3(d)).
- Demerit is a numerical mark assigned against a police personnel for committing a minor infraction (Section 3(e)).
- Discipline means an individual or group attitude that ensures prompt obedience to orders and performance of appropriate action in the absence of orders (Section 3(f)).
- Explanation is an offender’s written answer confirming or refuting the infraction reported against him (Section 3(g)).
- Minor Infractions are acts or omissions committed by PNP personnel, during office hours or beyond, as far as practicable, and as included in the list under Section 4 (Section 3(h)).
- Violator refers to any PNP personnel who committed a minor infraction (Section 3(i)).
Minor infractions and demerit rules
Any uniformed PNP personnel found committing a minor infraction is charged with the appropriate demerit, whether during office or non-office hours (Section 4(a)).
The circular lists specific minor infractions and the corresponding numerical demerits:
- 1. Violation of “Tamang Bihisa”
- Unauthorized or improper wearing of uniforms, insignias and accouterments — 5
- Unauthorized haircut — 5
- Dirty shoes — 5
- Dirty uniform — 5
- Unshaved mustache — 5
- No hanky/tickler/Miranda warning card (as required during inspection) — 5
- Other similar minor infractions — Minimum 5 implied by the structure shown for the “Tamang Bihisa” grouping (Section 4)
- 2. Tardiness in reporting for duty/office work — 5
- 3. Tardiness in reporting to command activities — 5
- 4. Smoking in places not designated as a smoking area — 5
- 5. Violation of traffic, pedestrian and parking regulations — 5
- 6. Use of vulgar or insulting languages or exhibit similar rudeness to the public — 7
- 7. Spitting or littering in public areas — 7
- 8. Urinating in places other than the designated areas (restroom, public urinating area) — 10
- 9. Leaving post for more than two (2) minutes — 15
- 10. Dozing of post — 15
- 11. Failure to initiate actions on complain — 15
- 12. Absent in formation and or any command activities — 20
- 13. Other similar minor infractions — Minimum 5; Maximum 20 (Section 4(a))
- 1. Violation of “Tamang Bihisa”
The maximum allowable demerits are fifteen (15) demerits per month or 90 demerits per semester (Section 4).
One demerit in excess of the allowable number is equivalent to one (1) hour of community service (Section 4).
Delinquency reporting and required forms
- Any person who witnesses any infraction committed by a PNP officer must fill out a delinquency report form available at the nearest police precinct (Section 5(a)).
- The delinquency report must clearly state the date, time, and the specific infraction committed (Section 5(a)).
- Delinquency Report forms must be made available to the public at every precinct, at all times (Section 5(b)).
- The delinquency report form includes:
- Offender identification fields for Rank/Name, Badge No., and Office Unit (Section 5).
- An infractions selection area including, among others, Unauthorized uniform, Tardiness, Spitting/Urinating in Public Places, Smoking in unauthorized place, Discourtesy to Officers and National Colors, Violation of Traffic Rules, Leaving of Post, Dozing on Post, Discourteous Conduct/Rudeness, Failure to Initiate Action on Complaint, and Others (Section 5).
- A details line requiring Date / Time / Place of Commission (Section 5).
- Sections for Reporting Officer / Citizen and signatures for Received By and Acknowledged By using rank/name/signature entries (Section 5).
- A Disposition field to be filled by the Chief of Office (Section 5).
Notice, explanation, and disposition deadlines
- The Administrative Officer who received the delinquency report form must immediately notify the offending PNP personnel by furnishing a copy of the delinquency report (Section 6(a)).
- The offending personnel must submit a written Explanation within 24 hours from notice (Section 6(a)).
- The Explanation, together with the delinquency report, must be submitted to the Chief of Office of the Municipal or City Police Station or Police District Office (Section 6(a)).
- For personnel assigned at Police Provincial Offices, Police Regional Offices, and National Support Units, the delinquency report form must be submitted by the Administrative Officer to the Director of the concerned PPO/PRO/NSU (Section 6(a)).
- The Chief of Office (or Director of PPO/PRO/NSU) must make a disposition not later than five (5) days upon receipt of the delinquency report and written explanation, deciding whether the explanation is sufficient or awarding the appropriate demerits (Section 6(a)).
Monthly demerit records and community-service referral
- The Administrative Officer serves as the official repository and record-keeper of the number of demerits earned by members of the unit (Section 7).
- The Administrative Officer must furnish the Chief of Office or the Director of the PPO/PRO/NSU a monthly report of demerits earned by the unit (Section 7).
- If a police officer transfers, the Administrative Officer must ensure the officer’s demerits earned are formally communicated to the Administrative Officer of the unit where the officer transfers (Section 7).
Order of community service and mayor administration
- Based on the monthly demerit report, the Chief of Office (or the Municipal/City Police Station or Police District Office) must issue an order identifying persons in the unit who exceeded the allowable demerits for the month and stating the number of hours each must devote to community service (Section 8).
- The order must be transmitted immediately to the Office of the Mayor of the city, town, or municipality having territorial jurisdiction over the unit (Section 8).
- The Mayor or authorized representative must administer the community service in accordance with the number of hours stated in the order (Section 8).
- For personnel assigned at Police Provincial Offices, Police Regional Offices, and National Support Units, the Director of the PPO/PRO/NSU must issue the order identifying persons required to undergo community service (Section 8).
- The Director (or duly authorized representative) may administer the community service himself and direct the offending personnel to render the service within the grounds and premises of the camp (Section 8).
- A Director of the PPO/PRO/NSU may transmit the order to the Mayor of any town, municipality, or city within the Director’s area of responsibility (Section 8).
- Personnel assigned at NHQ and NSUs based in Camp Crame may be required to render community service within Camp Crame or in any municipality or city within the National Capital Region (Section 8).
- Upon completion of community service, the Mayor or duly authorized representative must submit a report stating the total number of hours devoted, the times and places of service, and must include a certification under oath that the offending police officer complied with the hours stated in the order (Section 8).
- The completed community service report must be transmitted immediately to the Chief of Office or the Director of the PPO/PRO/NSU concerned (Section 8).
Consequences of exceeding allowable demerits
- A violator who exceeded the allowable demerits per semester is rated Poor in his/her Performance Evaluation Rating (PER) for the particular rating period (Section 9(a)).
- Such violator may be subjected to appropriate disciplinary action (Section 9(a)).
- Such violator is recommended to undergo training (Section 9(b)).
- Excessive demerits are considered as aggravating circumstances in any disciplinary action against him/her (Section 9(c)).
- Excessive demerits are a consideration that may affect reassignment/transfer from one unit to another (Section 9(d)).