Cayetano bucks use of body cams, VP joining drug busts

MANILA, Philippines —  Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano on Monday expressed his apprehensions on the use of body cameras during   anti-illegal drug operations and Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo joining drug busts because the drug was is “messy.”

In an interview on CNN Philippines’ “The Source” Monday, Cayetano said more studies are needed on Robredo’s proposal to use body cameras to “preserve the integrity” of anti-drug operations.

READ: Robredo says body cameras needed during anti-drug ops

“Sa buy bust napakadelikado eh. If ‘yung pinagbibilhan mo na pusher sees na may, ‘di ba if I tell you’re my confidential informant then nakita mo naka-on cellphone ko or meron akong camera dito, all deals are off. But in drug wars ‘di ba may barilan ‘yan, may patayan ‘yan,” Cayetano said.

(Drug busts are dangerous. If your informant sees you have a phone or a camera, all deals are off. But in drug wars there are gunfights, there’s bloodshed.)

“Ang point natin (Our point is) it’s messy when it’s a war. We want a human war, we want no deaths but it might not be the reality,” the Taguig-Pateros representative added.

Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Aaron Aquino earlier challenged Robredo to join one of the agency’s anti-narcotics operations. 

Although she worries she might disrupt the operations, Robredo accepted the dare.

READ: Robredo willing to join PDEA anti-drug ops, but…

Cayetano pointed out that Robredo’s presence might compromise police operations.

“But to be with the arresting officers and everything, siguro kulang ang apat, limang PSG (it would take at least four, five Presidential Security Group members to secure her) na kasama nya eh… baka ma-compromise din ‘yung operation (the operation may be compromised),” Cayetano said, suggesting that it would be better if Robredo observe the drug bust from a concealed command center.

“But DG Aaron is a very capable guy so he wouldn’t propose it na wala syang nasa isip (without a plan in mind)… I think the point of all of that is to say ‘wag ka munang mag-comment hanggang hindi mo talaga nakikita ‘yung nangyayari on the ground (do not to until you’ve sees what’s happening on ground),” he added.

Robredo was recently appointed co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs. 

President Rodrigo Duterte offered her the post after she said there is a need to reassess the bloody war on drugs due to its failure to curb the number of drug users in the country. /gsg