Basic sa Bill of Rights ang ating karapatan against unreasonable searches and seizures:
SECTION 2. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures of whatever nature and for any purpose shall be inviolable, and no search warrant or warrant of arrest shall issue except upon probable cause to be determined personally by the judge after examination under oath or affirmation of the complainant and the witnesses he may produce, and particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.
ARTICLE III, Bill of Rights
Dumating na sa Supreme Court yung issue kung legál ba talaga ang mga police checkpoint.
Ang sabi nila, in the interest of public safety and necessity, pwede ang brief routine inspections sa police checkpoints.
Pero ang gagawin ng police, dapat limitado lang sa visual search.
Ibig sabihin, hanggang tingin lang sila.
Hindi puwedeng ipabukas o ipa-halughog ang loob ng sasakyan, at bawal mag-body search ng pasahero.
Para makagawa ng extensive search, kailangan may search warrant ang pulis, o kaya naman ay may probable cause o sapat na basehan para isiping may krimen talagang ginawa ang motorista.
Mga dapat tandaan sa Police Checkpoint
Kaya kung tinigil kayo sa Police Checkpoint, kalma lang, hindi kailangang matakot.
Tandaan:
- Tandaan ang inyong mga karapatan:
- Kung magtanong ang pulis, may karapatan kayong hindi sumagot . Pero kung ordinary questions lang, wala namang problema.
- Kung ipabukas ang kotse, glove compartment, o bag, may karapatan kayong tumanggi.
- Kung pababain kayo sa kotse at sabihing ibobody-search, may karapatan rin kayong tumanggi.
Ayon nga sa handbook ng PNP: “[C]heckpoints must not inconvenience nor intimidate citizens but, instead, should provide them a real sense of safety and security.