PNP moves roll-out date for body cam program

PNP Chief Dir. Gen. Oscar Albayalde. INQUIRER.net file photo / Noy Morcoso

Instead of June, the roll out of the P332-million body-worn cameras may be moved to the latter part of the year because the bidding has yet to start, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Dir. Gen. Oscar D. Albayalde said Thursday.

Albayalde said the process for the purchase of the body-worn cameras may be finished by the third or fourth quarter of the year because a lot bidders have filed their intent to join the bidding.

“Mahaba kasi ang process niyan. There are pre-bidding and product presentation. Napakarami kasi nung mga nagbigay ng proposal,” Albayalde said in a press briefing at Camp Crame.

(The process is tedious. There are pre-bidding and product presentation. There were a lot of them who gave proposals.)

“The money is already there and allocated, the P332 million, ano lang dyan ay bidding process at procurement so ang thinking natin dyan ay probably [ang roll out] sa third o fourth quarter of the year,” he added.

(The money is already there and allocated, the P332 million, we have yet to go to the bidding process and procurement so my thinking is we will roll it out by third or fourth quarter of the year.)

Albayalde said 200 bidders have filed intention to bid and the Bids and Awards Committee has yet to screen those who are qualified.

Former police chief Dir. Gen. Ronald dela Rosa in February said the PNP was eyeing to start the roll out of the cameras by June.

According to a source by the Inquirer, the BAC has yet to finalize the technical specifications of the cameras, in accordance with the requirements of the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the National Police Commission.

“Hindi siya ganun kadali kasi walang off-the-shelf BWCs (body worn cameras),” the source said.

(It is not that easy because there are no off-the-shelf BWCs.)

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