Police revisit policy on body cameras

CEBU, Philippines —  Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Guillermo Eleazar has disclosed that there are still adjustments in the guidelines to fully implement the wearing of body cameras during police operations among the cops.

This even the Supreme Court released an order that requires police operatives to wear body cameras during their operations.

Eleazar said there is still a need to study the guidelines as these may have a ripple effect in their culture.

Among the steps that the PNP will be taking is the information dissemination.

"Unang-una naglabas ng guidelines probably today, ma-receive namin yan. Pero may advance copy naman, umiikot na and count already yung concerned offices para pag-aralan ito, ano ba yung step na gagawin natin including yung info dissemination kasi malaking adjustment to and we admit that," Eleazar told reporters in an interview Monday at the Police Regional Office-7.

In Central Visayas, Eleazar said there are at least 193 initial allotted body cameras that will be distributed once the guidelines are finalized.

He added that only the city police stations will be issued with these body-worn cameras as the guidelines have indicated way back.

"Those are the numbers of body worn cameras issued. Per police unit binibigyan natin ng isang set, when we have one set, it consists of 16 body worn cameras, all of them capable of livestreaming. Pero lahat ng yun ay nagre-record kasama yung command center," said Eleazar.

Eleazar said the implementation of the requirement to wear body cameras will, however, become their “validity” against the “unfair accusations” thrown against the police force.

"In the application pa lang search warrant, itatanong na kung mayroon bang body camera na pwedeng gamitin ng ating police, I am talking about the issued body worn cameras," said Eleazar.

As none of the municipal units were issued with the body cameras, Eleazar stated the guidelines which said that the police could use alternative recording devices like cellular phones.

According to Eleazar, it would appear that to serve the issued search warrant, the cops must have a body-worn camera.

Over this, Eleazar said they will be adjusting on this and would ask the Supreme Court to carry the input and incorporate their guidelines into the police guidelines.

"Ang sinasabi ng iba, iyon bay malaking apekto ng PNP? Ang epekto nito ay para sa ikabubuti ng lahat. I will change everything, including our training, including the culture of PNP, dahil ito ang nakikita natin na talagang malaking tulong sa atin," said Eleazar. — GMR (FREEMAN)