Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, CCPO deputy director for operations. | Screengrab from Pegeen Maisie Sararana video
CEBU CITY, Philippines — A top official of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) said they will still have to check whether the body-worn cameras issued to them can also be used in buy-bust operations.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, CCPO deputy chief for operations, in a press conference on Wednesday, July 14, 2021, disclosed that they already have four functioning body-worn cameras which are used mainly to ensure the veracity and accountability of police operations.
Parilla said police personnel from the Mobile Patrol Unit (MPU) and Mabolo Police Station are utilizing the four cameras, which are under monitoring by the City Tactical Operations Center (CTOC).
He said they are prioritizing the issuance of body-worn cameras to the mobile patrollers, saying they are the ones who respond to crimes.
Apart from that, Parilla said these will also be used in the serving of warrants of arrest and search warrants.
He, however, stressed that they still have to check whether it will be used also in buy-bust operations considering the disadvantage it may bring.
“Sa buy-bust, among i-check, kay usahay it can be useful. Sometimes, mahimo sad ni siyang disadvantage kay makita mana siya nga body cam, so og makita, mahibaw-an nga police ka,” he said.
“Ang atong priority ani ang katong mga patrollers because they are the ones who will respond to crimes. Aron makita gyud nato ug ma-monitor sad nato, because ang kani siyang body cams, pwede nimo maka-istorya ang personnel, ang tawo nga nagsul-ob. So madungog sad animo ang ilahang conversation,” he said.
Parilla said he has no idea yet as to how many body-worn cameras were issued to them, citing that others could not function without the SIM cards intended for the items.
“I don’t know the exact [number] but as of now, we have only four functioning kay ang uban wala pa’y mga SIM cards, naay mga kuwang wala siya mag function,” he added.
The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) earlier received a total of 256 body-worn cameras that will be soon distributed to 16 police stations in the region.
Police Brigadier General Ronnie Montejo, PRO-7 director, however, said they could not guarantee that all police operations will be filmed considering that some are conducted simultaneously.
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