Sinas encourages cops to take videos while enforcing ECQ rules

Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the NCRPO. INQUIRER.net file photo / NOY MORCOSO

MANILA, Philippines — The leadership of the Metro Manila police has encouraged lawmen to take videos while they are enforcing lockdown protocols as evidence for filing complaints against violators of enhanced community quarantine rules.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas said this as policemen in Metro Manila have yet to receive their body cameras from the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters.

“For NCRPO, yung talagang issue, wala pa po kaming body cam. We encourage our police, yung ka-buddy ng pulis natin ay kung pwede magdala ng sarili nilang cellphone at kung alanganin ay i-video para may ebidensya just like what happened po sa Dasma,” Sinas said in an online press conference on Tuesday when asked about public clamor of body cameras due to the recent police apprehension at Dasmariñas Village in Makati City.

(For NCRPO, this is really an issue, we do not have body cameras. We encourage our police, their buddies if they can take a video of the scenario using cellphones if needed so that we can have it as evidence just like what happened in Dasma.)

On Sunday, April 26, Police Senior Master Sergeant Roland Von Madrona attempted to arrest Spanish national Javier Parra in the front yard of the foreigner’s own home at Dasma Village during an altercation over the failure of Parra’s housemaid to wear a face mask while watering plants outside of their home.

However, in a video taken by Parra’s wife, the lawman was seen tackling Parra to the ground as he tried to subdue the foreigner. Parra, however, managed to elude arrest after dashing inside his house.

Another video of the incident from the police officer showed that Madrona was being calm and polite while talking to Parra until the homeowner started cursing at the policeman.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) previously announced that delivery of some 2,000 body cameras will be delayed due to travel restrictions imposed under the enhanced community quarantine.

JPV