PALO, Leyte,
Sept. 18 – The
Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here turned over on Monday 20
body cameras to city police offices in Eastern Visayas.
PNP
Regional Director Chief Supt. Gilberto Cruz said the body cameras are donations
of private individuals who requested anonymity.
The body
camera will be used by police drug enforcement units in seven cities to ensure
respect of human rights during anti-illegal drug operations.
"We
want transparency in our police operations. We don’t want to be criticized and
people thinking that we are doing something wrong during our police operations
here in the region,” Cruz told reporters.
The
police official said camera recordings are evidence on what really transpired
during police operations if someone would come out and report human rights
violations.
“This will ensure protection, not
only to suspects but to law enforcers as well because we can use the video
recording as evidence,” Cruz said.
Cruz
added they are aiming to provide body cameras to all 211 police stations and
precincts in the region’s 136 towns and seven cities.
The call for police operatives to
use body cameras came after Caloocan policemen were allegedly involved in the
killing of 17-year old Kian delos Santos in a police operation.
Senator
Sherwin Gatchalian was among the first lawmakers who proposed the use of body
cameras since “it is a powerful tool and evidence to hold police scalawags
accountable for administrative and criminal liabilities when they abuse their
authority while performing their duty.”
During
his visit to the regional office here, Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa
expressed support to the use of body cameras in police operations.
The move,
however, is hampered by budget constraints, prompting the PNP to seek higher
funding from lawmakers. (RTA/PNA)
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