Citizen’s arrest

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Enero 13, 2023

Dear Chief Acosta,

Totoo ba na maging ang pampribadong indibidwal na tulad ko ay maaaring umaresto sa taong napag-alaman ko na gumawa ng krimen? - Vernon

Dear Vernon,

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay opo. Mayroon tayong tinatawag na citizen’s arrest, kung saan ang karaniwang mamamayan ay binibigyan ng karapatan na magsagawa ng pag-aresto. Gayunman, may mga alituntunin na dapat sundin upang maging wasto at balido ang citizen’s arrest. Kaugnay nito, matatagpuan sa Seksyon 5 at Seksyon 9 ng Rule 113 ng ating Revised Rule of Criminal Procedure ang mga sumusunod:

“Section 5. Arrest without warrant; when lawful. — A peace officer or a private person may, without a warrant, arrest a person:

(a) When, in his presence, the person to be arrested has committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to commit an offense;

(b) When an offense has just been committed, and he has probable cause to believe based on personal knowledge of facts or circumstances that the person to be arrested has committed it; and

(c) When the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from a penal establishment or place where he is serving final judgment or is temporarily confined while his case is pending, or has escaped while being transferred from one confinement to another.

In cases falling under paragraph (a) and (b) above, the person arrested without a warrant shall be forthwith delivered to the nearest police station or jail and shall be proceeded against in accordance with section 7 of Rule 112. (5a)

Section 9. Method of arrest by private person. — When making an arrest, a private person shall inform the person to be arrested of the intention to arrest him and cause of the arrest, unless the latter is either engaged in the commission of an offense, is pursued immediately after its commission, or has escaped, flees, or forcibly resists before the person making the arrest has opportunity to so inform him, or when the giving of such information will imperil the arrest. (9a)

Alinsunod sa mga nabanggit, malinaw na pinahihintulutan ng ating batas ang pag-aresto ng pribadong mamamayan. Kaugnay nito, kung ang pag-aresto ay papasok sa isa sa mga sitwasyon kung saan maaaring magpatupad ng warrantless arrest o pag-aresto nang walang warrant, malinaw na ito ay pinahihintulutan ng ating batas kahit pa man ang mang-aaresto ay pribadong mamamayan.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa inyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.