Police body cams very limited at 2,700 —PNP

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that it currently has a very limited supply of body-worn cameras, only having around 2,700 police officers issued with the device.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, PNP Public Information Office chief Police Brigadier General Red Maranan pointed out that the PNP was required to have 45,000 pieces of body cameras to be used by police to record incidents during the execution of search or arrest warrants.

“Medyo kulang tayo sa ngayon sapagkat ang requirement natin diyan ay something like 45,000 ang body-worn cameras. Ngayon, mayroon lamang tayong 2,700. Very, very limited ‘yung mga pulis natin na may issued na body cameras,” he said.

(We lack body cameras right now. Our requirement for that is something like 45,000, but we only have 2,700. Our police officers with issued body cameras are very, very limited.)

Maranan said that the PNP is targeting to procure more body cameras next year as the agency has requested the budget for such from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

He related this to the case of six police officers involved in the killing of 17-year-old Jemboy Baltazar in Navotas City who did not wear their body cameras at the time of the operation.

“Napatunayan nga natin na 'yung pulis na may body camera na naka-issue sa kanya, ay hindi niya nagamit o hindi niya nabuhay. Ang sinasabi niya ay nawalan ng baterya pero hindi 'yun katanggap-tanggap na dahilan sapagkat being a responsible officer, dapat ‘pag ginamit ang iyong body camera, dapat full charged talaga kapag nag-start ka ng duty,” Maranan said.

(We have proven that the policeman involved had a body camera issued to him, but did not use or open it. What he was saying was that the battery was dead, but that is not an acceptable reason because to be a responsible officer, you should ensure that your body camera is fully charged before you start duty.)

Baltazar, 17, was on his way to fish on August 2 when he was shot and killed by Navotas City police in Barangay NBBS Kaunlaran after they allegedly mistook the teenager for a murder suspect.

The Northern Police District (NPD) had said the cops involved failed to produce videos of the operation, which could have shed light on what transpired during the shooting.

In July 2021, the SC approved a resolution providing rules for the mandatory use of body-worn cameras during the execution of search and arrest warrants.

Under the resolution, law enforcers must have at least one body-worn camera and one alternative recording device or such number needed to record the relevant incidents during the execution of search or arrest warrants.

In case of unavailability of body-worn cameras, law enforcers shall file a motion before the court to use alternative recording devices for justifiable reasons. —KG, GMA Integrated News