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The Philippine National Police vowed to adhere to "plain view doctrine" as it would not inspect vehicles at checkpoints, which have been put up nationwide for the 2019 midterm elections.

PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde and National Capital Region Police Office Director Guillermo Eleazar led the inpection of some checkpoints in Metro Manila on Saturday night, the eve of the start of the election period for the May polls.

Albayalde asked the peoole's cooperation and assured them that police officers would not conduct inspection at their vehicles.

"We asked them that when they saw a checkpoint, they should already open their lights and windows so that our policemen can see what's inside their vehicle," he said.

"We are only following the plain view doctrine," he added.

Based on jurisprudence, plain view doctrine is usually applied where a police officer is not searching for evidence against the accused, but nonetheless inadvertently comes across an incriminating object.

Albayalde said the cops would be stricter in the checkpoints to prevent motorists from bringing prohibited items, such as firearms, to ensure the safety of the public.

"We will be stricter as much as we can so that we can stop those who will bring prohibited items like firearms because effective today we have gun ban until June 12," he told reporters.

He said those who would be caught with firearms, even licensed ones but without the exemption to carry them, would face charges for the violation of Election Code.

During the first day of the checkpoint operations, one person was arrested in Sta. Ana, Manila after being caught with two sachets of shabu inside his wallet.

"During the conduct of checkpoint, this tricycle driver is shaking while we are asking for his license. So while getting his license inside his wallet, we saw that he has at least two sachets of shabu," Eleazar said.

"This is one of the good results we had on our checkpoints, we were able to confiscate guns, bladed weapons as well as drugs," he said.

The Comelec checkpoints would be in place until June 12. Ella Dionisio/DMS