LAOAG CITY (Oct. 3) – As the barangays and SKs gird for the October elections, uniform policemen under Acting Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Marlou Chan had been conducting regular mobile checkpoints in the different strategic places in Ilocos Norte.
In Laoag City, uniform lawmen under chief of police Supt. Sterling Blanco also manned a night mobile checkpoint at the Laoag bridge.
They flagged down all kinds of motor vehicles such as cars, SUVs, passenger vans, cargo trucks,mini-buses, solo motorcycles and motorcycles.
Using big flashlights, they asked car occupants to open windows as well as compartments. At the same time, a PO1 or SPO1 would say: “adda dala yo a maiparit a bagay dita?” If negative answer, they would flash a ‘Go sign’.
Some independent observers had raised a legal query: Is it lawful for the cops without search warrant to order the opening of car inside compartments during the PNP checkpoint operations?
Any legal opinions on the aforesaid query may be e-mailed to ilocossentinel@yahoo.com.ph for fast publication in our newly-created website: www.ilocosseentinel.com or fill up our contact form here.
