Republic of the Philippines COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS Quezon City MESSAGE It is commonly believed that detention refers to the deprivation of liberty arising from a conviction by a court. In reality, however, detention begins way before that. Arrested persons are initially brought to police lock-up cells before they get transferred to the regular jails. It is in lock-up cells where crucial stages of criminal prosecution take place. It is there where human rights are often most vulnerable. By looking at the situation from this perspective, I fully appreciate the significance of this study piloted by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Philippine National Police-National Capital Region Office (PNP-NCRPO). Now, we are able to obtain for the first time a direct account of the conditions that prevail in police lock-up cells that enable us to develop policies geared towards the protection and promotion of human rights. Indeed, the seeds of the La Breza Declaration that we planted almost three years ago with our strategic partners are beginning to bear fruit. I laud the Legal and Investigation Office for their invaluable efforts throughout this project, especially in the initiation and conceptualization thereof. I commend the Assistance and Visitorial Office for their worthy contributions in data-gathering. I also give my sincere gratitude to the PNP-NCRPO for opening their doors and providing assistance to this important research. Finally, I thank the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) for their support to this project. Thank you very much. LORETTA ANN P. ROSALES