NCRPO chief hopes LGU mayors will help provide PNP body cameras

NCRPO chief Police Director Oscar Albayalde. NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net

National Capital Region Police Office Chief Oscar Albayalde on Thursday said he hopes all mayors of the local government units will help the Philippine National Police have body cameras while they are waiting for PNP funds.

Earlier, the Pasig City Mayor Robert Eusebio donated 48 Vigilante body cameras to the Pasig City Police. Of these, the 10 police community precincts of the city will have three units each. The remaining units will be used by the Pasig’s Special Reaction Unit.

“Pasig is the first in the National Capital Region to have actual body cameras. I think Quezon City has also pledged body cameras…We hope all our mayors will donate body cameras while we are waiting for the release of PNP funds for the camera. Iyong ibang local executives natin, kung talagang gusto nilang tulungan tayo dito ay magbigay, kahit mangilan-ngilan lang ay magbigay ng body camera (If the other local executives really want to help us out here, they could give, even a few, body cameras),” Albayalde said during the demonstration of the body cameras in a Pasig checkpoint operation on Thursday morning.

“First off, this is in preparation for the return of the war on drugs to the PNP. At least, we are starting to receive donations (of body cameras). Like in Pasig, we thank the good mayor of Pasig for responding to our request. While there are still no funds yet for the body camera for the PNP, the local executives will provide,” he added.

EPD director Chief Supt Romulo Sapitula said the use of body cameras  is in response to the directives of PNP Chief Ronaldo dela Rosa.

The cameras, Sapitula said, will be a tool for the PNP to be transparent to the public as it will document “what is happening on the ground.”

The body cameras have four hours of battery time, and has 7 to 15 meters clear view. The cameras donated by the Pasig local government unit to the PNP are not real time.

Albayalde said not all police officers would necessarily wear body cameras.

“At least one who is involved in the actual operations (should have it). Since we are not using it on our war on drugs yet, we can use the body cameras in checkpoint operations like Oplan Galugad and Oplan Sita.”

The use of body cameras will be the protection of police who are sometimes accused of being rude and inappropriate during conduct of operations.

“This is a good advantage for us. If there are accusations, especially false accusations…we will be able to review it,” he said.

Officers who will not be able to charge the body cam, intentionally turn it off will be investigated and may face possible administrative charge for negligence, the NCRPO chief said. /je