MANILA, Philippines — The chief of the Philippine National Police on Saturday ordered the creation of a technical working group to study and incorporate recent rules promulgated by the Supreme Court into police guidelines on the use of body-worn cameras.
The SC on June 29 issued the Rules on the Use of Body-Worn Cameras which requires law enforcement agents implementing arrest and search warrants to use at least two recording devices for their operations.
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In response, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP chief, in a statement said he tasked the Directorate for Operations and the Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) to come up with a recommendation on the composition of the TWG.
Eleazar also said he instructed the TWG to come up with modules that will be used in training and seminar programs on all the legal aspects of the use of body cameras in police units.
“On behalf of the men and women of the Philippine National Police, I extend my sincerest gratitude to the Supreme Court led by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo for supporting us in our effort to further professionalize our organization and to strengthen a human rights-based approach in the conduct of our operations,” the top cop is quoted as saying in its statement.
"[W]e ensure that the rules our Magistrates have worked hard on and devoted a long time to will be one of the instruments used to normalize the concept of transparency and accountability in the minds and actions of every member of the police force," he added in Filipino.
Eleazar said the rules would serve as a "big help to erase doubts and speculations in the conduct of our operations, especially in our aggressive campaign against illegal drugs."
The high court in its resolution cited its power to promulgate rules concerning the protection of people’s rights as well as mounting calls for safeguards on rules they claimed have been weaponized against dissenters and activists.
PNP: Around 30K more body cameras needed
The PNP said a total of 2,696 body cameras have been distributed to 171 police stations and offices since it launched the body-worn camera system on June 4.
However, police said they need around 30,000 more units to cover all its stations and units.
Eleazar said he has already taken steps to obtain more body camera units through donations of local government units as well as private individuals and groups.
PNP added that the Public Safety and Savings and Loan Associations Inc. (PSSLAI) has already committed to donating five sets of body cameras to the agency.
Each set is comprised of 16 body camera units and other accessories, costing approximately P2 million each.
— Bella Perez-Rubio with reports from Kristine Joy Patag and Franco Luna