The new chair of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has reprimanded the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its reputation of not observing human rights.

In a flag-raising ceremony Monday at the PNP headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City, CHR chair Leila de Lima stressed the need for the PNP to respect human rights in its operations.

De Lima brought up cases where human rights abuses were allegedly perpetuated by law enforcers, including the Kuratong Baleleng massacre, the Ortigas Highway Patrol rub out, and the killing of suspects in the Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation robbery in Laguna.

De Lima also criticized the way PNP presents its crime suspects before the public. On many occasions, suspects are dressed in detainee T-shirt and are required to line up in front of media cameras.

De Lima said this is a bad practice since police should assume suspects are innocent until they are proven guilty.

The chair said CHR will continue its investigations on complaints involving police officers. She said the CHR will file charges against members of the PNP who commit human rights abuses.

PNP Director-General Avelino Razon said the PNP pays attention to human rights charges. He said the PNP already has a human rights desk that handles these cases.

Meanwhile, policemen assigned to the State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on July 28 attended a human rights seminar on Monday.

Razon said the seminar given by the CHR seeks to ensure that the 6,000 cops who will deployed during the SONA will know their limitations when dealing with militant groups who will hold protests near the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.

The police chief reiterated that cops who will be deployed in the SONA will not carry any firearms, but will only have their shields and clubs. He, however, reminded militant groups' leaders to monitor their members who might cause trouble.