Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar asked the lawmakers for additional budget for the procurement of more body cameras for the police force.
Eleazar said PNP currently has 3,000 body cameras which can be used by only “hundreds” out of 1,500 police stations across the country.
“Kami po ay lumalapit din sa ating mga mambabatas para po maconsider na madagdagan ng pondo for the procurement of more bodycams,” he told ANC’s Headstart.
(We are calling on our lawmakers so that they can consider adding funds for the procurement of more body-cams.)
“Nakausap na natin ang mga ginagalang na mahistrado ng Supreme Court. Pinagaaralan po during the conduct of search warrant merong body-cam na gagamitin.”
(We have also discussed this with the Supreme Court magistrates. We are studying the use of body-cam during the conduct of search warrants.)
Eleazar also said the PNP is “very much ready” to use body cameras during operations to avoid legal technicalities in the future.
Eleazar requests budget to buy more body cameras for PNP
“With the guidance of the Supreme Court, with their protocol na ilalabas, maaaring at least dun sa mga implementation at service of search warrant doon sa mga lugar na meron nang body cameras ay puwede na itong ilunsad,” Eleazar told Unang Hirit.
(With the guidance of the Supreme Court and the protocols it would issue, we can at least start using body cameras in areas where police stations already have them.)
Last week, Senator Grace Poe said requiring cops to wear body cameras during operations should be included in Eleazar’s “first mission orders.”
“PNP Chief Eleazar has been known to conduct inspections and make sure that his officers are performing to the best of their ability. I’m hopeful that the new Chief will push for the use of body and dash cameras to help make our police force more professional in the field,” Poe said in a statement Friday.
The senator also noted that the funds for the body cameras and dash cameras were released four years or three PNP chiefs ago.
“We are optimistic that the new PNP Chief will not be the fourth Director-General to let this opportunity pass,” Poe said.
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