The Department of the Interior and Local Government in the province of Pampanga in coordination with the National Police Commission R-3 conducted a Seminar-Workshop on Capability Enhancement of the People’s Law Enforcement Board (PLEB) of Pampanga on April 25 - 27, 2012 at Ibay Zion Apartelle, Minesview, Baguio City.
LGOO VI Jose Algy Canlas welcomed and acknowledged the participants and resource speakers while LGOO VI Renalyn Iglesias shared the objective of the activity which is to enhance the capabilities of the PLEB Members in the investigation and adjudication of police administrative disciplinary cases file before the board.
The seminar, facilitated by selected DILG provincial staff was participated in by PLEB members such as the Sangguniang Bayan/Panlungsod Members, Punong Barangays, DILG MLGOOs and others.
Napolocm 3 Regional Director Atty. Manuel L. Pontanal discussed PNP Administrative Disciplinary System and the Laws Governing the PNP Administrative Disciplinary System; Due process of law and equal protection of the law; The Uniform Rules of Procedure before the Administrative Disciplinary Authorities and the Internal Affairs Service of the PNP; PLEB Creation, function, composition, term of office and quorum; Commencement of complaint, venue, contents of complaint; Pre-charge evaluation; Preventive suspension; Conduct of formal hearing and disposition of cases; and Appeal, Appellate Jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission (CSC). He also discussed some legal principles and jurisprudence applicable in the investigation of administrative cases against PNP members.
Chairman of the Police Regional Appellate Board Atty. Domingo P. Guanzon discussed the Administrative Offenses and Penalties which include Punishable offenses, Classification of Offenses (light offenses, less grave offenses, grave offenses), and imposable penalties and its limitation. On the other hand, Summary Dismissal Hearing Officer Atty. Arlene L. Castro-Co shared the Appreciation of Evidence in Administrative Proceedings. She likewise discussed that as semi-judicial, PLEB hears and decides like a court but it is not part of the judicial branch. As such, the procedure before administrative bodies is not formal and strict as that of court, and the regularity of such proceedings is not to be tested by the strict legal rules that prevail in the court of law. Therefore, PLEB is not under obligation to follow the technical rules of procedure and evidence but must observe due process.
Napolcom Assistant Regional Director Atty. Leonardo C. Guzman discussed the case and records management. This, according to him is a system adopted by a judicial or quasi-judicial body to have an effective supervision and control of various stages through which cases pass from the time they are filed to the time they are decided to ensure their speeding disposition.
On the other hand, Chief of Technical Services Division of Napolcom Atty. Bernardina Joven shared some techniques and styles in decision writing which includes the cardinal primary rights to be observed in administrative proceedings, contents and parts of a decision, quorum required for a valid decision, parts of a decision, stages of writing process and elements of effective style.
A role playing followed wherein participants were required to illustrate an actual proceedings of PLEB.###