The Commission on Human Rights and a congressman on Monday welcomed a Supreme Court resolution outlining the guidelines on the use of body-worn cameras in serving search and arrest warrants.
“The Commission fully supports the creation of a legal framework to effectively implement the use of body-worn cameras during police operations,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
“We have high hopes that this newly introduced technology to law enforcement and criminal justice system will result in better transparency and accountability, and thus may improve public’s trust in law enforcement legitimacy,” she added.
The CHR also pushed for the use of body-worn cameras as a preventive measure to reduce lethal force during police operations,to achieve improved resolution of complaints, and more effective evidence in judicial proceedings.
Meanwhile, Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon stressed it still would be best to have a law institutionalizing the policy.
“We welcome the Supreme Court’s issuance of rules pertaining to the use of body cameras by law enforcement. The rules issued by the court is what will make the body cameras effective since the footage gathered will accepted by the courts when presented as evidence,” he said.
“Without the SC’s ruling, the videos gathered may not be useful for prosecuting violators of the law. It’s also a safeguard against abuse,” Biazon added.
The lawmaker is the author of House Bill 32, or the Body Camera Act, which mandates law enforcement personnel to wear body cameras during law enforcement and special police operations.
With the release of the SC’s Administrative Matter 21-06-08-SC dated June 29, 2021, law enforcement officers will now be required to use body-worn cameras when implementing search and arrest warrants.
Under the rules, law enforcers are required to wear at least one body camera and one alternative recording device during the serving of warrants. Failure to comply without reasonable grounds will render the evidence seized inadmissible for the prosecution of the offense for which the search warrant was applied.
Meanwhile, Biazon’s proposed legislation prohibits the deactivation of body cameras until an encounter or operation has fully concluded and the law officer has left the scene.
The bill also provides for the storage and archiving of video footage for at least three years from the time it was recorded.
Biazon previously said that the use of body cameras by the law enforcement officials will hold erring enforcers accountable and at same time disprove false accusations made against them.
He said that the passage of the Body Camera Act would provide a legal cover on the use of the equipment, which would ultimately produce evidence that could be used in court.
Alongside the potential benefits of body-worn cameras, law enforcement must stay mindful of the future challenges, especially on data management and privacy concerns, involving the use of the technology as it has been an unexplored area in our law enforcement and criminal justice system.
The CHR underscored that the implementation of the guidelines must always comply with human rights standards and principles in rolling out this innovation.
“We also look forward to the improvements in training and organization policies related to the use of body-worn cameras at the Philippine National Police as committed earlier by PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar,” the CHR official said.
She said the CHR sees the preliminary rollout of body-worn cameras as a step towards the right direction as it serves for both the protection of citizens and our police force.