Pasig City cops to start using body cams during police ops

Pasig City Police operatives will start wearing body cameras during their operations, Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Romulo Sapitula said on Wednesday.

In a statement, Sapitula said the cameras would protect police officers against accusations of misdemeanor as they perform their duties.

"This is in compliance to the directive of CPNP (PNP chief Director General Ronald Bato dela Rosa) to utilize the use of body cam in police operations to document all what's happening in the ground such as checkpoint operations, raid, surveillance operations, Oplan Sita, Galugad," Sapitula said.

"It will also serve as a tool to protect ourselves whenever someone will accuse us of misdemeanor as we perform our duties and responsibilities. Our operations are now transparent to the public," he added.

Of the 48 cameras procured by the office of the mayor, three cameras were given to each of the 10 Police Community Precincts (PCPs) in Pasig City, while the rest will go to the Special Reaction Unit and its operatives, the EPD said.

The EPD director urged Marikina, Mandaluyong and San Juan City police chiefs to likewise coordinate with the mayors of their respective areas and support the initiative.

"Being Pasig police as the pioneer of this initiative, I am also encouraging the Chiefs of Police of Marikina, Mandaluyong and San Juan City Police Station to coordinate with the Local Chief Executives of their area of responsibilities to support our endeavor," he said.

PNP chief Dela Rosa had mentioned earlier that the PNP would equip their men with body cameras if President Rodrigo Duterte allows them to return to the war on drugs.

“Pipilitin namin na ma-procure ‘yung body camera para i-issue namin sa lahat ng aming anti-drug operatives para kung sila ay mag-conduct ng buy-bust operations, transparent tayo. Kapag mabalik kami sa war on drugs dapat mabili na namin ‘yung aming body camera,” he said. — MDM, GMA News