SC finalizing rules on body cameras —spokesman

The Supreme Court (SC) is finalizing the rules on the use of body-worn cameras in law enforcement operations, according to SC spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka on Tuesday.

“The Court En Banc has not yet released the said rules. The same is still being finalized by the justices,” Hosaka said in a message to reporters.

Hosaka’s statement comes after Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo announced before the oath-taking of new officers of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) earlier in the day that the Court has already promulgated the rules, which shall apply to court-issued arrest and search warrants.

Last week, Gesmundo said the Court, in crafting the rules on the body worn cameras, was striking a balance between protecting an individual’s constitutional rights on arrest, search and seizure, and ensuring the unhampered operational requirements of law enforcers.

“We try to achieve that balance so that the end goal is we do not disregard the constitutional rights of people, but at the same time, the law enforcers are also given adequate leeway to effectively discharge your functions,” he said.

The top magistrate said the Court would make an arrangement with the Philippine Judicial Academy, the SC’s  judicial education arm, to provide the training of all those involved in the implementation of these rules.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) launched the body-worn camera system last month to ensure transparency and legitimacy of law enforcement operations.—AOL, GMA News