NAPOLCOM backs Defensive Driving Act

The National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) on Monday expressed full support for Senate Bill No. 338, or the “Defensive Driving Protection Act,” authored by Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, calling it a necessary reform to address systemic weaknesses in traffic enforcement.

The proposed bill seeks to protect law-abiding motorists from automatic detention in road incidents where they are not at fault. It allows drivers to present on-the-spot evidence, including dashcam footage, CCTV recordings, or witness accounts, to show that they were driving defensively and in compliance with traffic laws.

NAPOLCOM Commissioner Rafael Vicente R. Calinisan said that the Senate Bill reinforces due process and addresses a long-standing flaw in traffic enforcement practices, where arrest has too often been treated as the default response rather than a carefully determined legal action.

“Hindi dapat default ang pagkakakulong kapag may insidenteng kinasasangkutan ang isang motorista. Kung may malinaw na ebidensiya na siya ay sumusunod sa batas at walang kapabayaan, wala tayong batayan para siya ay arestuhin,” he said.

The Senate Bill proposes amendments to Article 124 of the Revised Penal Code to prevent arbitrary detention while investigations are ongoing.

Calinisan underscored that the reform reinforces accountability, not impunity. “Kung may paglabag, dapat managot. Ngunit kung ang insidente ay dulot ng kapabayaan ng iba, hindi maaaring ituring na kriminal ang inosente.”

Following recent road incidents, including a February 11 case involving a student who jumped from an LRT station in Quezon City, NAPOLCOM, together with the Philippine National Police (PNP), has initiated a comprehensive review of traffic arrest procedures to ensure that enforcement remains evidence-based, fair, and consistent with constitutional rights.

The Commission urged lawmakers to prioritize the passage of the Defensive Driving Protection Act, stressing that this reform aligns with NAPOLCOM’s ongoing efforts to recalibrate police procedures to ensure that every police action is guided by facts, exercised with restraint, and faithful to the Constitution.