Guidelines and Procedures in the Conduct of Civil Disturbance Management Refresher Course (CDMRC)

February 13, 2017

PNP MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 2017-012

GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES IN THE CONDUCT OF CIVIL DISTURBANCE MANAGEMENT REFRESHER COURSE (CDMRC)

1. REFERENCES:

a. Police Operational Procedures on Civil Disturbance Management Operations; and

b. Fact-Finding Report on Kidapawan Incident dated May 5, 2016.

2. RATIONALE:

Public assemblies are usually conducted by cause-oriented groups or persons who aim to air their grievances or campaign against the government's projects or officials governing an institution. Some of these public assemblies are peaceful but others resulted in violence and became fatal. Latest of which is the Kidapawan incident which transpired on April 1, 2016, where investigations showed that protesters turned violent and had beaten two defenseless cops after they fell on the ground. The incident resulted in the death of two persons and injuries to 96 policemen and a number of protesters.

In such situations, the police are responsible in the maintenance of peace and order, enforcement of law, and implementation of legal orders of the duly constituted authorities. To avoid repetition of what occurred during the Kidapawan incident and other cases of violent assemblies wherein the Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) contingents were usually blamed, a CDMRC is indispensable.

CDM is learned in Public Safety Basic Recruit Course (PSBRC) and incorporated in other PNP mandatory trainings. Nevertheless, a refresher course is vital for the personnel to be constantly apprised on the rules and regulations and policies involving CDM, thus this PNP Memorandum Circular (MC) on CDMRC is created.

3. PURPOSE:

This MC provides the standard guidelines and procedures in the conduct of CDMRC at the PNP National Headquarters (NHQ),all Police Regional Offices (PROs),and National Support Units (NSUs).

4. DEFINITION OF TERMS:

For purposes of this MC, the following terms shall be used.

a. Civil Disturbance — a gathering that constitutes a breach of the peace or any assembly of persons where there is a threat of collective violence, destruction of property or other unlawful acts.

b. MTAP — Master Training Action Plan. A document containing the list of training programs to be conducted by all PNP offices/units on a yearly basis.

c. RTAP — Regional Training Action Plan. A document containing the list of training programs to be conducted by a Police Regional Office for the year.

5. POLICIES AND GUIDELINES:

a. General Guidelines

1) To ensure successful management and control of civil disturbances, a CDMRC is needed to be undertaken by concerned PNP units such as the Headquarters Support Service (HSS),Philippine National Police Training School (PNPTS),National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO),and all PROs. It shall also be undertaken to ensure the safety of CDM contingents during CDM operations.

2) A 3-day CDRMC is required to be included in the Regional Training Annual Plan/Master Training Annual Plan (RTAP/MTAP) of NCRPO, PROs, and HSS to be conducted quarterly with a minimum of 93 CDM member participants four Police Commissioned Officers (PCOs) and 89 Police Non-Commissioned Officers (PNCOs).

3) CDMRC shall be mandatorily conducted every quarter among Regional Public Safety Battalion/Provincial Public Safety Companies (RPSB/PPSC) personnel; HESIcT

4) At least 100 sets of prescribed CDM equipment must be available at the PNPTS, Police Provincial Offices (PPOs),PROs, and NCRPO (Body armor with helmet, shield, and baton);and

5) The conduct of the CDMRC shall conform with the attached Program of Instruction (Annex "A").

b. Responsibilities

1) DHRDD

a) Create a Technical Working Group (Head Secretariat: UTPDD) to prepare a Standard Training Package (STP) for the CDMRC;

b) Monitor the conduct of CDMRC of PROs and HSS;

c) Include CDMRC in the MTAP; and

d) Perform other tasks as directed.

2) DL and DRD

a) Provide adequate CDM equipment for NCRPO, PROs, HSS and PNPTS to be used in the conduct of CDMRC; and

b) Perform other tasks as directed.

3) PNPTS

a) Conduct a CDM Training of Trainers;

b) Conduct quarterly clustered training for NSUs and NHQ-based uniformed personnel; and

c) Perform other tasks as directed.

4) NCRPO, PROs, and HSS

a) Include in the RTAP/MTAP the quarterly conduct of CDMRC;

b) Ensure availability of CDM equipment; and

c) Conduct CDM competition twice a year. The first shall take place in the month of April in preparation for the Labor Day and SONA of the President in the month of July. The second competition shall be scheduled in the month of December in preparation for the CPP celebration and to continuously keep personnel on alert during the holiday season. The competition would be among the following:

(a) PRO — among PPSCs/RPSB; and

(b) NCRPO — among the five districts.

5) RSTUs

a) Strictly conduct a 3-day CDMRC every quarter with a ratio of 1 PCO to 10 PNCOs in coordination with RPHRDD; and

b) Perform other tasks as directed.

6) D-Staff and NSUs

a) Direct three uniformed personnel to participate in the CDMRC to be conducted by the PNPTS; and

b) Perform other tasks as directed.

7) DC

a) Allocate funds for the implementation of this MC; and

b) Perform other tasks as directed.

6. ADMINISTRATIVE SANCTION:

Any violation of this MC or failure to implement or comply with the provisions of this MC shall be a ground for the imposition of administrative sanction in accordance with existing policies, rules and regulations.

7. RESCISSION:

All existing PNP issuances in conflict with this MC are deemed repealed, amended or rescinded accordingly.

8. EFFECTIVITY:

This MC shall take effect after 15 days from filing a copy thereof at the UP Law Center in consonance with Section 3, Chapter 2, Book VII of Executive Order No. 292 otherwise known as the "Revised Administrative Code of 1987," as amended.

(SGD.) RONALD M. DELA ROSAPolice Director GeneralChief, PNP

ANNEX A

Program of Instruction for 3-day CDM Refresher Course

 

SUBJECTS	NO. OF HOURS	SCOPE OF INSTRUCTION	MODE OF INSTRUCTION
Incident Command System	2	Overview of Incident Command System (ICS) and incidents/events managed by the Incident Command System	Lecture
Legal considerations	3	Review of pertinent laws (PD 880 and Labor Code of the Philippines, etc.),PNP POP and human rights in relation to CDM	Lecture
Organization and Equipment	2	Study on the size and composition of CDM units and its authorized equipment and use	Lecture
Operational Techniques and tactics	2	Techniques and tactics in riot control	Lecture
Responsibilities in the Chain of Command	1	Study on the command, control and communications	Lecture
Negotiation during CDM operation	1	How to negotiate during civil disturbance operations	Lecture
Stress and Anger Management	1	How to cope up with stress and anger	Lecture
Various CDM formations	12	Riot control formations such as Platoon Line, Platoon Line with two support squads, Platoon "U",Platoon Wedge with two support squads, Platoon Point and Platoon Box and carrying windshields and batons	Lecture and practical exercises