(Eagle News) — The Philippine National Police will incorporate the Supreme Court’s guidelines on the use of body-worn cameras in police operations into its own rules.
PNP Chief Guillermo Eleazar made the statement as he welcomed the High Court’s pronouncement these could be finalized and approved next month.
According to Eleazar, the guidelines are specific to the implementation of search and arrest warrants.
“Ngayon pa lamang ay nagpapasalamat na kami sa Supreme Court para sa paglalaan nila ng panahon sa pagbuo ng mga panuntunang ito (As early as now, we thank the Supreme Court for allotting time to craft these guidelines). I assure our esteemed Justices that these protocols will strictly be observed by our men,” Eleazar said.
On Friday, June 11, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said that the rules for the use of the cameras will be discussed starting June 15, when the High Tribunal resumes session.
The PNP has said an initial 2,696 body-worn cameras have been distributed to 171 police stations and offices, with more set to be deployed.
The cameras, the PNP said, would provide a guarantee that police personnel would strictly abide by police operating procedures in law enforcement operations and, at the same time, give protection to policemen against false and malicious accusations of abuse or misconduct.
