THE Philippine National Police (PNP) will distribute more than 100 body cameras in identified areas nationwide to be used for the anti-illegal drug operations carried out by different Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU) teams for proper monitoring.
PNP Director for Operations General Camilo Cascolan said there are already body cameras that are ready to be given to priority areas with prevalent number of operations such as big cities in National Capital Region (NCR).
"I believe we only have 100 body cameras that still have to be issued and still under evaluation. We want body cameras to be connected immediately to the internet so we will be able to see it in real time," Cascolan said.
These could be used against the high-value targets (HVT) operations, buy-bust on the streets depending on the operations.
"I know more or less 100 pieces priority areas are in NCR and the big areas like hopefully Davao would be given. There are a lot of DEU teams who has body camera with them especially in Luzon where there are a lot of anti-drug operations that are being made," he said.
Within this week or by next week, they will start the distribution.
He also said Davao might be provided with these body cameras.
He added that as part of the modernization effort of the PNP, they will soon acquire more body cameras that will monitor the operation of the personnel in connection to illicit drugs.
"Soon enough, we will be having more than P300 million worth of body cameras and the system that would be able to let us see the operations of all these drug enforcement units from the stations, districts, provinces, cities and regions," Cascolan added.
He also clarified that since not all police stations will be issued with these cameras, they could not implement the compulsory utilization of body cameras but merely encourage so it would not be used as an excuse by the policemen to refrain from conducting anti-illegal drug operations.