Eleazar confident use of body cams in police ops will happen under his term

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is "very much ready" to use body cameras in police operations and is just awaiting protocols to be established to avoid legal technicalities in the future, according to its new chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar, on Monday.

"With the guidance of the Supreme Court, with their protocol na ilalabas, maaaring at least dun sa mga implementation at service of search warrant doon sa mga lugar na meron nang body cameras ay puwede na itong ilunsad," Eleazar told Unang Hirit.

[With the guidance of the Supreme Court and the protocols it would issue, we can at least start using body cameras in areas where police stations already have them.]

Eleazar, who formally assumed the PNP chief post Friday last week, said some 3,000 body cameras have already been distributed to 117 city police stations but more are expected to come for the over 1,000 municipal police stations.

"Na-distribute na itong almost 3,000 [body cameras] dun sa 117 lang na city police stations, itong more than 1,000 municipal police stations wala pa rin po pero inaasahan natin na darating yan," he said.

[Some 3,000 body cameras have already been distributed to 117 city police stations and we expect more to come for the over 1,000 municipal police stations.]

Senator Grace Poe last Friday urged Eleazar to include the use of body cameras in his “first mission orders” when he assumes the PNP chief post.

Recently, newly-appointed Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and the senior officers of the PNP held a virtual meeting that discussed the high court’s statement on the use of body cameras for the service of search and arrest warrants.

In March, SC justices tackled a proposal requiring law enforcers to use body cameras when serving warrants issued by judges. A resolution on the matter is expected to be drafted.

Body cameras store footage of crimes being committed, which could then lead to the easier prosecution and conviction of offenders, Poe said.

The procurement of body cameras was suggested and later funded by Congress amid allegations of extra-judicial killings and human rights abuses in police anti-drug operations.

Eleazar, who will retire in November, is confident that the use of body cameras in police operations will happen under his term.

"Ako'y naniniwala at napakapalad ko na sa term ko ay ito ay atin nang gagawin, ako'y naniniwala at napakapalad ko na sa term ko ay ito ay atin nang gagawin," he said.

[I believe and I feel lucky that the use of body cameras in police operations will happen under my term.]  —KBK, GMA News