CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City council has approved an ordinance which requires business establishments and public offices to install closed circuit television or video surveillance systems.
Councilor Demetrio Cortes, author of the ordinance, said peace and order is now the main concern of the city.
"Whereas, many acts of criminality go unreported and unsolved due to the lack of evidence pointing towards the identity of the perpetrators of various crimes. Video cameras should compensate for lack of police officers," Cortes said.
The ordinance states that banks, department stores, schools, gasoline stations, pawnshops, lending firms, convenience stores, and other establishments which are open 12 hours a day are now required to install CCTV or video surveillance systems.
The city government or national government offices shall install CCTV in public places frequently converge by people such as churches, terminals, plazas, parks, and major thoroughfares.
Their surveillance systems should be in proper working order at all times and shall be in operation during office hours and at the option of the owner 24 hours, 7 days a week.
The police office will send a notice of violation to any one who violates the ordinance, stating that the violator has 30 days to comply with the law. A citation will be issued to the violator who fails to comply with the notice and a fine of P5,000 will be imposed. The legal office has the option to file charges in court against the violator.
The violator who continues to disregard the citation will be declared a public nuisance and his business permit will not be renewed.