Recto: No need to realign CHR budget

Sen. Ralph Recto. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

There’s no need to realign the budget of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) or other agencies to buy body cameras for policemen, Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said on Monday.

Recto said there are already enough funds for body cameras in the 2017 national budget.

Among the possible sources  are the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) P5.36-billion modernization fund, unprogrammed appropriations of the 2017 General Appropriations Act and Malacañang’s P5.5-billion contingent fund, according to the senator.

Moreover, the PNP has not even spent P3.73 billion under its modernization program, debunking its earlier claim that it has no budget to buy body and car-mounted cameras for this year.

The PNP also received P1.9 billion from the Department of Budget and Management last month for the purchase of various equipment, including machine guns, boats, motorcycles, anti-riot gear, body vests and “explosive detection dogs,” added Recto.

He said the P24.56 million allotted for bomb dogs alone could initially be spent on body cameras.

“If a body camera would cost P10,000, then it would be enough to equip 24,000 police officers [with the device],” he said.—JOCELYN R. UY