REDUNDANCIES

One way to achieve effective police report writing is to eliminate the use of repetition
expressions. We frequently encounter redundancies such as “free gifts” and “foreign imports”,
among others. These expressions are not necessary and need not to be included because it adds
nothing to what has already been stated. In some instances, efficient use of key words and
sentence structures can facilitate clear connection in writing. Also, writers employ repetition to
further emphasize and clarify their main point.

The focus of police report writing is to remove needless repetition such as redundant words that
make writing longer and vaguer, not better. Below are examples of common redundancies used
in writing and correspondence. In a few specific situations, some of the expression may provide
a purpose. Nonetheless, these terms may cause miscommunication because of unnecessary
words. We may delete the phrase in parenthesis to achieve clarify in writing.

 (absolutely) essential  alternative (choice)

 (absolutely) necessary  A.M. (in the morning)
 (actual) facts  (and) etc.
 advance (forward)  (anonymous) stranger
 (advance) planning  (annual) anniversary
 (advance) preview  (armed) gunman
 (advance) reservations  (artificial) prosthesis
 (advance) warning  ascend (up)
 add (an additional)  ask (the question)
 add (up)  assemble (together)
 (added) bonus  ATM (machine)
 (affirmative) yes  Autobiography (of his or her own life)
 (aid and) abet
 (all-time) record

 bald (-headed)  (boat) marina

 balsa (wood)  bouquet (of flowers)
 (basic) fundamentals  brief (in duration)
 (basic) necessities  (brief) moment
 best (ever)  (brief) summary
 biography (of his-or her-life)  (burning) embers
 blend (together)
C
 cacophony (of sound)
 cameo (appearance)
 cancel (out)
 cash (money)
 cease (and desist)
 circle (around)
 circulate (around)
 classify (into groups)
 (close) proximity
 (closed) fist
 collaborate (together)
 combine (together)
 commute (back and forth)
 compete (with each other)
 (completely) annihilate
 (completely) destroyed
 depreciate (in value)
 descend (down)
 (desirable) benefits
 (different) kinds
 each (and every)
 earlier (in time)
 eliminate (altogether)
 emergency (situation)
 (empty) hole
 empty (out)
 (empty) space
 enclosed (herein)
 (end) result
F
 (face) mask
 fall (down)
 (favorable) approval
 (completely) eliminate
 (completely) engulfed
 (completely) filled
 (completely) surround
 (component) parts
 confer (together)
 connect (together)
 connect (up)
 confused (state)
 consensus (of opinion)
 (constantly) maintained
 cooperate (together)
 could (possibly)
 crisis (situation)
 curative (process)
 (current) incumbent
 (current) trend
 disappear (from sight)
 drop (down)
 during (the course of)
 dwindle (down)
 enter (in)
 (entirely) eliminate
 equal (to one another)
 eradicate (completely)
 estimated at (about)
 evolve (over time)
 (exact) same
 (exposed) opening
 extradite (back)
 fly (through the air)
 follow (after)
 (foreign) imports
  (fellow) classmates
 (fellow) colleague
 few (in number)
 filled (to capacity)
 (final) conclusion
 (final) end
 (final) outcome
 (final) ultimatum
 (first and) foremost
 (first) conceived
 First (of all)
 gather (together)
 (general) public
 GOP (party)
 GRE (exam)
 had done (previously)
 (harmful) injuries
 (head) honcho
 heat (up)
 (illustrated) drawing
 incredible (to believe)
 indicted (on a charge)
 input (into)
 integrate (together)
 integrate (with each other)
J and K
 join (together)
 (joint) collaboration
 (former) graduate
 (former) veteran
 (free) gift
 (from) whence
 (frozen) ice
 (frozen) tundra
 full (to capacity)
 (full) satisfaction)
 fuse (together)
 (future) plants
 (future) recurrence
 green [or blue or whatever] (in color)
 grow (in sie)
 HIV (virus)
 hoist (up)
 (hollow) tube
 hurry (up)
 interdependent (on each other)
 introduced (a new)
 introduced (for the first time)
 (ir) regardless
 ISBN (number)
 kneel (down)
 (knowledgeable) experts
L

 lag (behind)  (live) studio audience

 later (time)  (live) witness
 LCD (display)  (local) residents
 lift (up)  look (ahead) to the future
 (little) baby  look back (in retrospect)

 made (out) of  might (possibly)

 (major) breakthrough  minestrone (soup)
 (major) feat  mix (together)
 manually (by hand)  modern ___ (of today)
 may (possibly)  (mutual) cooperation
 meet (together)  (mutually) interdependent
 meet (with each other)  mutual respect (for each other)
 (mental) telepathy  (number-one) leader in ____
 Merge (together)

 nape (of her neck)  (new) innovation

 (native) habitat  (new) invention
 (natural) instinct  (new) recruit
 never (before)  none (at all)
 (new) beginning  (now) pending
 (new) construction

 off (of)  (originally) created

 (old) adage  output (out of)
 (old) cliché  (outside) in the yard
 (old) custom  outside (of)
 (old) proverb  over (with)
 (open) trench  (over) exaggerated
 open (up)  (overused) cliché
 (oral) conversation
P

 (pair of) twins  plunge (down)

 palm (of the hand)  (polar) opposites
 (passing) fad  (positive) identification
 (past) experience  postpone (until later)
 (past) history  pouring (down) rain
 (past) memories  (pre) board (as an airplane)
 (past0 records  (pre) heat
 penetrate (into)  (pre) record
 period (of time)  (private) industry
 (personal) friend  (present) incumbent
 (personal)opinion  present (time)
 pick (and choose)  previously listed (above)
 PIN (number)  proceed (ahead)
 pizza (pie)  (proposed) plan
 plan (ahead)  protest (against)
 plan (in advance)  pursue (after)
 (please) RSVP

 raise (up)  (regular) routine

 RAM (memory)  repeat (again)
 reason is (because)  reply (back)
 reason (why)  retreat (back)
 recur (again)  revert (back)
 re-elect (for another term)  rise (up)
 refer (back)  round (in shape)
 reflect (back)

 (safe) haven  slow (speed)

 (safe) sanctuary
 same (exact)
 (sand) dune
 scrutinize (in detail)
 self-__(yourself)
 separated (apart from each other)
 (serious) danger
 small (size)
 (small) speck
 soft ( in texture) [or (to the touch)
 sole (of the foot)
 spell out (in detail)
 spliced (together)
 start (off) or (out)
  share (together)
 (sharp) point
 shiny (in appearance)
 shut (down)
 (single) unit
 skipped 9over
 tall (in height)
 tall ( in structure)
 (temper) tantrum
 ten (in number)
 three a.m. (in the morning)
 (three-way) love triangle
 time (period)
 (ultimate) goal
 undergraduate (student)
 (underground) subway
 (unexpected) emergency
 (unexpected) surprise
 vacillate (back and forth)
 (veiled) ambush
 (very) pregnant
 (wall) mural
 warn (in advance)
 weather (conditions)
 weather (situation)
HOMONYMS
 (still) persist
 (still) remains
 (sudden) impulse
 (sum) total
 Surrounded (on all sides)
 (tiny) bit
 (total) destruction
 (true) facts
 (truly) sincere
 tuna (fish)
 (twelve) noon or midnight
 (two equal) halves
 (unintentional) mistake
 (universal) panacea
 (unnamed) anonymous
 UPC (code)
 (usual) custom
 (very) unique
 visible (to the eyes)
 whether (or not)
 (white) snow
 write (down)
Homonyms are words that sound alike, but have different meanings. They generally include two
categories of word types: homophones, and homographs.

 Homographs are words that re spelled the same, but different meanings
 Homophones are words that sound the same when you pronounce them, but have
different meaning.

Others say that homonyms are strictly words that spelled and sound the same, but have different
meanings.

This list contains homonyms, homophones, and homographs.

ade – drink type, as in lemonade aisle – walkway

aid – to help or assist I’ll – I will
aide – assistant isle – island
affect – change air – atmosphere (the stuff we breathe)
effect – result or consequence err – to make a mistake
allowed – permitted ant – picnic pest
aloud – out loud aunt – relative, as in your mom’s sister
arc – curve ate – chewed up and swallowed
ark – Noah’s boat eight – number after seven

berry – fruit from a bush base – bottom part

bury – to put underground bass – deep or low
be – to exist beach – sandy shore
bee – buzzing insect beech – type of tree
beat – to pound berth – tie up
beet – type of edible plant birth – to be born
bite – nibble blew – past of blow
byte – 8 bits 9computer data) blue – color of ocean
boar – pig borough – area of district
bore – not interesting bore – to drill burrow – dig through
burro – small donkey
bough – branch buoy – floater
bow – bend or curtsy boy – young man
brake – stop pedal bread – bakery food
break – smash bred – form of breed
Broach – mention Brows – eyebrows
Brooch – pin Browse – look around
Buy – purchase
By – beside
By – originating from, BR, bye – short for
goodbye

Cell – compartment Cent – penny coin

Sell – vend Sent – did send
Cereal – breakfast food Chile – country in South Africa
Serial – sequential Chilly- frosty
Chord – musical tone Cite – quote
Cord – rope Site - location
Sight – view
Close – opposite of open Complement – enhance; go together
Clothes – clothing Compliment – praise
Council – committee Creak – squeak
Counsel – guidance Creek – stream of water
Crew – gangs
Cruise – ride on a boat

Dear – darling Dew – morning mist

Deer – woodland animal Do – operate
Due – payable
Die – cease to exist Doe – female dear
Dye – color Dough – uncooked bread

E and F

Ewe – female ship Eye – sight organ

You – second-person personal pronoun I – me
Fair – equal Fairy – elflike creature with wings
Fare – price Ferry – boat
Faze – impact Feat – achievement
Phase – stage Feet – plural of foot
Fir – type of tree Flea – small biting insect
Fur – animal hair Flee – run
Flew – did fly Flour – powdery, ground up grain
Flu – illness Flower – blooming plant
For – on behalf of Forth – onward
Fore – front Fourth – number four
Four – one more than three
K and G

Knew – did know Gorilla – big ape

New – not old Guerilla – warrior
Grease – fat Groan – moan
Greece – country in Europe Grown – form of grow

Hair – head covering Hall – passageway

Hare – rabbit like animal Haul – tow
Halve – cut in two parts Hay – animal food
Have – posses Hey – interjection to get attention
Heal – mend Hi – hello
Heel – back of foot High – up far
Hoarse – croaky Hole – opening
Horse – riding animal Whole – entire
Holey – full of holes Hour – sixty minutes
Holy – divine Our – belonging to us
Wholly – entirely

Knead – massage Knight – feudal horseman

Need – desire Night – evening
Knot – tied rope Know – have knowledge
Not – negative No – opposite of yes

L and M

Lead – metal Lessen –make smaller

Led – was the leader Lesson – class
Loan – lend Made – did make
Lone – solitary Maid – servant
Mail – postage Marry – to wed
Male – opposite of female Merry – very happy
Meat – animal protein
Meet – encounter

N and O

None – not any Oar – boat paddle

Nun – woman who takes special vows Or – otherwise
 Ore – mineral
Oh – expression of surprise or awe One – single
Owe – be obligated Won – did win
Overdo – do too much
Overdue – past due date

Pail – bucket Pain – hurt

Pale – not bright Pane – window glass
Peace – calm Peak – highest
Piece - segment Peek – glance
Plain – ordinary Pole – post
Plane – flight machine plane – flat surface Poll – survey
Poor – not rich Pray – implore God
Pour – make flow Prey – quarry

Rain – water from sky Rap – tap

Rein – bridle Wrap –drape around
Real – factual Right – correct, not left
Reel – roll Write – scribble
Ring – encircle Role – function
Wring – squeeze Roll – rotate
Rose – flower
Rows –lines

sail – move by wind power scene – landscape

sale – bargain price seen – viewed
Sea – ocean segment Seam – joining edge
See –observe with eyes Seem – appear
Sew – connect with thread Soar – ascend
So – as a result Sore – hurt place
Sow – plant
Sole – single Some – a few
Soul – essence Sum – amount
Steal – swipe Tail – animal’s appendage
Steel – alloy Tale – story
T and V

Their – belonging to them To – toward

There – at that place Too – also
They’re – they are
Toe – foot appendage Vary – differ
Tow – pull along Very – much

W and Y

Waist – area below ribs Wail – howl

Waste – squander Whale – huge swimming mammal
War – battle Wait – kill time
Wore – did wear Weight – measurable load
Way – path Warn – caution
Weigh – measurable mass Worn – used
Weak –not strong We – us
Week – period of seven days Wee – tiny
Which – that Weather – climate
Witch – sorcerer Whether – if
Your – belonging to you
you’re – you are
DEFENITIONS OF POLICE LINGO AND JARGON

For a common understanding of the terms used, the following definitions are taken from the PNP
Police Operational Procedures (POP) 2013 and the PNP Directorate of Investigation and
Detective Management (DIDM) Criminal Investigation Manual 2011.

ARBITRARY DETENTION – arbitrary detention begins not merely from the moment a person
is locked up in prison cell but from the moment such person is deprived of his liberty without
legal grounds. And it ends only when such person is absolutely freed from any restraint on his
person.

ARREST – it is the taking of the person into custody in order that he may be bound to answer
for the commission of an offense.

ARSON – is defined as the intentional or malicious destruction of a property by fire. It is also

defined as the criminal burning of property.

ASSAULT – the term “assault” in Sec. 87 (b) (2), Judiciary Act, on the original jurisdiction of
Municipal Courts, means physical injuries. It does not refer to the crime of direct assault in Art.
148 of the Revised Penal Code.

BEAT PATROL – the deployment of officers in a given community, area or locality to prevent
and deter criminal activity and to provide day-to-day services to the community.
BRIBERY – bribery and robbery have little in common as regards their essential elements. In
the former, the transaction is mutual and voluntary. In the later case, the transaction is neither
mutual nor voluntary but is consummated by the use of force or intimidation.

BURDEN OF PROOF – is employed to signify the duty of proving the facts in dispute on an
issue raised between the parties in a cause. The burden of proof always lies on the party who
takes the affirmative in pleading. In criminal cases, as every man is presumed to be innocent
until the contrary is proved, the burden of proof rests on the prosecutor, unless a different
provision is expressly made by statute.

BUY BUST OPERATION – is an entrapment technique employed by a peace officer as an

effective way of apprehending a criminal in the act of the commission of the offense.

CADAVER – a corpse or a dead body

CHILD – shall refer to a person below eighteen (18) years of age or one over said age and who,
upon evaluation of a qualified physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, is found to be incapable of
taking care of himself fully because of a physical or mental disability or condition or of
protecting himself from abuse.

CHILD ABUSE – refers to the infliction of physical or psychological injury, cruelty to or

neglect, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child.

CHILD TRAFFICKING – the recruitment transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of a

child purpose of exploitation.

CIRSCUMTANTIAL EVIDENCE – evidence of circumstances which are strong enough to

cast suspicion upon the defendant and which are sufficiently strong to overcome the presumption
of innocence, and to exclude every hypothesis except that of the guilt of the defendant.

COMPLAINT – a concise statement of the ultimate facts constituting the plaintiff’s cause or
causes of action.

COMPLAINANT - a party or person who makes a complaint or files a formal charge in the
court of law.

COORDINATION REPORT – a report which is used as means of formal coordination to be

made by the investigating agency with the police unit or military unit having operational
jurisdiction over the place where a police case operation shall be conducted.

CRIME SCENE – a venue or place where the alleged crime/incident/event has been committed.

CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION - it is the collection of the facts in order to accomplish the

three-fold aims – to identify the guilty party, to locate guilty party, and to provide evidence of his
(suspect) guilt.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR – a public safety officer who is tasked to conduct the
investigation of all criminal cases as provided for and embodied under the Revised Penal
Code/Criminal Laws and Special Laws which are criminal in nature. A well-trained, disciplined,
and experienced professional in the field of criminal investigation duties and responsibilities.

CRIMINAL JURISDICTION – the authority to hear and try a particular offense and impose
the punishment for it.

CRIMINAL LAW – one that defines crime, treats of their nature and provides for their
punishment. Punishment, in this sense, refers strictly to the penalty imposed.

CRIMINAL LIABILITY – requisites. Under Art. 4 par. 1 RPC, a person may be held
criminally liable even if the injurious result be greater than that intended, provided these
requisites concur: 1) an intentional felony has been committed; 2) the wrong done to the victim
be the direct, natural, and logical consequence of the felony committed.

CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE – it consists in the failure to take such precautions or advance

measures in the performance of an act as the most common prudence would suggest, whereby
injury is caused to persons or to property.

CUSTODIAL INVESTIGATION – investigation conducted by the law enforcement officers

after a person has been arrested or deprived of his freedom of action. It includes invitation to a
person who is being investigated in connection with the offense.

DEATH OR PHYSICAL INJURIES INFLICTED UNDER EXEPTIONAL

CIRCUMSTANCES – any legally married person who having caught his spouse in the act of
committing sexual intercourse with another, shall kill any of them or both of them in the act or
immediately thereafter, or shall inflict upon them any serious injuries, shall suffer the penalty of
destierro.

DETAINEE/DETENTION PRISONER – refers to a person arrested due to the commission of

a crime/offence by the arresting unit for custodial investigation. It likewise includes person
arrested for crimes which are heinous in nature, against national security and high profile crimes.

DETENTION – a restraint of personal liberty or deprivation of freedom of action in any

significant manner.

DETENTION/CUSTODIAL CENTER – an institution secured by the PNP Units concerned

for the purpose of providing short term custody of detention prisoner thereby affording his safety
and preventing escape while awaiting the court’s disposition of the case or transfer to appropriate
penal institution.
DETENTION OFFICER – a Police Commission Officer (PCO) or Police Non-Commission
Officer (PNCO) directly responsible for the administration and management of the detention
facility and the detainees housed therein.

DRAGNET OPERATION – is a police operation purposely to seal off the portable exit points
of fleeing suspects from the crime scene to prevent their escape.

DUE PROCESS OF LAW – the requirement that no person shall be held to answer for a
criminal offense without “due process of law” simply requires that the procedures fully protect
the life, liberty, and property of the citizens in the states.

DYING DECLARATION – requisites. In order that a dying declaration may be admissible, the
following requisites must concur; 1) it must concern the crime involved in and the circumstances
surrounding the declarant’s death; 2) at the same time of the declaration, the declarant must be
conscious of impending death; 3)the declarant must be competent as a witness; and 4) the
declaration must be offered in a criminal case for homicide, murder, or parricide in which the
declarant was the victim.

E-BLOTTER (Electronic Blotter) – is a computerized system that is now being used in Davao
City Police Office which was accepted by the courts, prosecutors’ office and the public in
general. Coordination with Supreme Court administrator disclosed that they are amenable to the
idea of using e-blotter for the PNP. This is also known as Crime Incident Recording System
(CIRS).

ELECTRONIC DATA MESSAGE – refers to information generated, sent, received or stored

by electronic, optical or similar means, but not limited to, electronic data interchange (EDI)
electronic mail, telegram, telex, or telecopy. Throughout these Rules, the term “electronic data
message” shall be equivalent to and be used interchangeably with “electronic document”.

ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT – refers to information or the representation of information,

data, figures, symbols, or other modes of written expression, described or however represented,
by which a right is establish or an obligation extinguished, or by which a fact be approved and
affirmed, which is received, recorded, transmitted, stored, processed, retrieved or produced
electronically. Throughout these Rules, the term “electronic document” shall be equivalent to
and be used interchangeably with “electronic data message”.

ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE – refers to any described mark, characteristic and/or sound in

electronic form, representing the identity of a person and attached to or logically associated with
the electronic data message or electronic document or any methodology or procedures employed
or adopted by a person and executed or adopted by such person with the intention of
authenticating or approving an electronic data message or electronic document.
EMINENT DOMAIN – the of a government to take and appropriate private property to public
use, whenever the public exigency requires it; which can be done only on condition of providing
a reasonable compensation therefore.

ENTRAPMENT – while instigation exempts, entrapment does not; the difference between the
two being that in entrapment the crime had already been committed while in instigation the
crime was not yet and would not have been committed were it not for the instigation by the peace
officer.

EVIDENCE – the means sanctioned by the Rules of Court, of ascertaining in a judicial

proceeding the truth respecting a matter of fact. These include but are not limited to
documentary, testimonial, electronic and objective evidence, gathered in the course of the
investigation.

EVIDENT PREMEDITATION – evident premeditation involves in its legal sense, not only a
determination to commit the crime prior to the moment of its execution, but that resolve to carry
out the criminal intent must have been the result of deliberation, calculation or reflection through
a period of time sufficient to dispassionately consider and accept the final consequences thereof,
thus indicating a greater perversity.

EXPLOITATION – shall include, at the minimum, child prostitution, child pornography and
other forms of sexual exploitation, child labor, force labor or services, slavery or practices
similar to slavery, servitude, removal and sale of organs, use in illicit/illegal activities, and
participation in armed conflict. The hiring, employment, persuasion, inducement or coercion of a
child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video or film or to
pose or act as a model in obscene publications or pornographic materials, or to sell or distribute
said materials.

EXPLOSIVES – any chemical compound, mixture or device, the primary or common purpose
of which is to function by explosion. The term includes, but is not limited to, high explosives,
black powder, pellet powder, initiating explosives, detonators, safety fuses, squibs, detonating
cord, igniter cord and igniter.

EXPLOSIVE INCIDENTS – any explosives-involved situation that encompasses bombings,

incendiary bombings, attempted bombings, stolen and recovered explosives, threats to
government facilities involving explosives, hoax devices and bomb threats.

EXPLOSIVE ORDINANCE DISPOSAL (EOD) PERSONNEL – refers to personnel of the

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the National Bureau
of Investigation (NBI).
FIRST RESPONDERS – are member of the police, military, fire, medical teams, and other
volunteer organizations who are expected to be the first respond to calls for assistance in cases of
incidents involving explosives.

HASTY CHECKPOINT – is an immediate response to block the escape of lawless elements

from a crime scene, and is also established when nearby checkpoints are ignored or during hot
pursuit operations. It is set up by police personnel conducting mobile patrol on board a marked
police vehicle, or those conducting ISO and foot patrol operations within the vicinity/periphery
of the national provincial highways.

HIGH RISK ARREST – is the actual restraint of armed persons following a high-risk stop.

HIGH RISK STOP – is the actual stopping or accosting of armed and dangerous person or
persons, aboard a vehicle or on foot, including the power to use all necessary and legal means to
accomplish such end.

HOT PURSUIT (CROSS JURISDICTIONAL PURSUIT) – (also termed in the US as fresh

pursuit) shall mean an immediate, recent chase or follow up without material interval for the
purpose of taking into custody any person wanted by virtue of a warrant, or one suspected to
have committed a recent offense while fleeing from one police jurisdictional to another that will
normally require prior official inter-unit coordination but which the pursuing unit cannot, at that
moment, comply due to the urgency of the situation.

HOMICIDE – any person who shall kill another without the attendance of any of the
circumstances enumerated in the crime of murder (Art. 249 RPC).

IMMINENT DANGER – the danger is “imminent” if it is on the point of happening. It is not

required that the attack already begins, for it may be too late (The Revise Penal Code, Book I,
JBL Reyes). The element of imminent danger are the following:

1. Intent of the suspect to harm the policeman

2. The capability of the suspect to harm the policeman or other persons; and
3. Accessibility or the proximity of the suspect in harming the policeman and other persons

INQUEST PROCEEDINGS – is the formal and summary investigation conducted by a public

prosecutor (called the inquest prosecutor) in criminal cases involving a person arrested, without
the benefit of a warrant issued by the court, and thereafter detained, for the purpose of
determining whether or not the warrantless arrest is valid, said arrested person should remain
under custody, and be correspondingly changed in court.

INVESTIGATOR-ON-CASE (IOC) – is the police officer who determines the cause or motive
of the crime, identify and interview the witnesses, and effects arrest of suspect/s.
MAXIMUM TOLERANCE – means the highest degree of restraint that the police, military,
and other peace keeping authorities shall observe during a public assembly or in the dispersal of
the same.

MISFEASANCE or IRREGULARITIES IN THE PERFORMANCE OF DUTY – the

improper performance of some act which might lawfully be done.

MIRANDA DOCTRINE – a principle on the rights of a suspect from forced self-incrimination

during police interrogation as enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution’s Bill of Rights
(Article III, Sec. 12).

MUG SHOT (OR BOOKING PHOTOGRAPH) – it is a photograph of a suspect taken after

one is arrested. The purpose of the mug shot is to allow law enforcement agency to have a
photographic record of the arrested individual to allow for identification by to have a
photographic record of the arrested individual to allow for identification by victims and
investigators. They may be compiled into a mug book or rouges gallery in order to help
determine the identity of a criminal in high profile cases, mug shots may also be published by the
media. The mug shot shall be taken in four (4) manners, front view half body, left side view half
body, right side view half body, front view whole body. It shall be printed in 4R size and
attached or printed on the Mug Shot Sheet on the PNP-BF. If a digital camera is used, the camera
should have a resolution of not less than 5 Mega Pixel (MP). (Pro forma can be download
through www.pnp.gov.ph).

MURDER – any person who shall kill another person with evident premeditation, treachery,
superior strength, aid of armed men, consideration of prize and reward of promise and by means
of fire, poison, explosion and other means involving great waste and ruin (Art. 248, RPC).

NECESSARY AND LEGAL MEANS – as used in the definition shall include, but not limited
to, the employment of appropriate number of troops, armor assets and tactical or special units to
effectively and permanently quell the threat or present danger, or to swiftly restrain or arrest the
suspect or suspects.

NEGLECT – failure to provide, for reasons other than poverty, adequate food, clothing, shelter
basic education or medical care so as to seriously endanger the physical, mental, social, and
emotional growth and development of the child.

NEGLECT OF DUTY – the omission or refusal, without sufficient excuse, to perform an act or
duty, which it was the officer’s legal obligation to perform.

NONFEASANCE or NEGLECT OF DUTY – the omission or refusal, without sufficient

excuse, to perform an act or duty, which it was the peace officer’s legal obligation to perform,
implies a duty as well as its breach and the fact can never be found in the absence of duty.
OCCULAR INSPECTION – an auxiliary remedy which the law affords the parties or the court
to reach an enlightened determination of the case, either to clear a doubt, to reach a conclusion,
or to find the truth, by viewing the object related to the fact in issue.

OFFENDED PARTY – in oral defamation or libel, the “offended party” referred to in par. 4
Art. 360, RPC, and in Sec. 4, Rule 110, Rules of Court, is the person appearing to have been
defamed, discredited and prejudiced by the imputation made.

The “offender party” who intervenes in a criminal action, under Sec 15 Rule 110, Rules of Court,
is the person who is entitled to civil indemnity in the civil action arising out of the criminal act
for which the accused is charge.

PAT-DOWN SEARCH – is a “frisk” or external feeling of the outer garments of an individual

for weapons only.

PERSON IN AUTHORITY – person in authority refers to all those persons who by direct
provision of law or by appointment of competent authority is charged with the maintenance of
public order and the protection and security of life and property, as well as all persons who come
to the aid of agents of authority; it being public functionaries are entitled to be considered as
agents of authority, it being understood, nevertheless, that in order that the persons who come to
the aid of an agent of authority may be considered as agents of authority. It is an essential
condition that they lend such assistance, by the virtue of an order or request of such agent of
authority.

POLICE BLOTTER – a record or log where all types of operational and undercover dispatches
shall be recorded containing the five “W”s (WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, and WHY) and
one “H” (HOW) of an information.

POLICE CHECKPOINT – a location where the search is conducted which is duly authorized
by the PNP to deter/prevent the commission of crimes, enforce the law, and for other legitimate
purposes.

REASONABLE DOUBT – a reasonable doubt is not a mere guess that defendant may or may
not guilty; it is such a doubt as a reasonable man might entertain after a fair review and
consideration of the evidence.

RECLUSION PERPETUA – the penalty of life imprisonment. However, the offender is

eligible for pardon after serving the penalty for thirty years.

ROBBERY – the taking of personal property belonging to another with intent to gain, by means
of violence against or intimidation of any person, or using force upon anything.
ROUGUES GALLERY (or ROUGES’ GALLERY) MUG SHOT BOOK – is a police
collection of mug shots and pictures or photographs of criminals and suspects kept to
identification purposes.

SCENE OF THE CRIME OPERATION (SOCO) – is a forensic procedure performed by

trained personnel of the PNP Crime Laboratory through scientific methods of investigation for
the purpose of preserving the crime scene, gathering information, documentation, collection, and
examination of all physical evidence.

SEARCH WARRANT – is an order in writing issued in the name of the People of the
Philippines, signed by a judge and directed to a peace officer, commanding him to search for
personal property described therein and bring it before the court.

SPOT CHECK/ACCOSTING – is the brief stopping of an individual, whether on foot or in a

vehicle, based on a reasonable suspicion/probable cause, for the purpose of determining the
individual’s identity and resolving the officer’s suspicion concerning criminal activity.

STOPPING ZONE – is the strategic predetermined area strongly sealed off, barricaded and
occupied by tactical forces in a lawful display of authority to maintain law and order or in
defensive response to an event of criminal nature or of such gravity that occurred or likely to
occur calling for a high risk stop or arrest.

SPOT REPORT – refers to an immediate initial investigative or incident report addressed to

Higher Headquarters pertaining to the commission of the crime, occurrence of natural or man-
made disaster or unusual incidents involving loss of lives and damage of properties.

SUBSTANTATIVE DUE PROCESS – the constitutional guaranty that no person shall be

deprived of his life, liberty, or property for arbitrary reasons, such as a deprivation being
constitutionally supportable only if the conduct from which the deprivation flow is prescribed by
reasonable legislation (that is, the enactment is within the scope of legislative authority)
reasonably applied (that is, for a purpose consonant with the purpose of the legislation itself).

THEFT – theft is committed by any person who, with intent to gain but without violence against
or intimidation of neither persons nor force upon things, shall take personal property of another
without the latter’s consent.

VICTIM – the aggrieved party; offended party.