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CEBU CITY, Philippines — The top official of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has expressed his approval of the need to require all business establishments in the region and the rest of the country to install closed circuit television (CCTV) within their presmises.
Police Brigadier General Roque Eduardo Vegas said CCTVs are an effective tool in crime deterrence, prevention, and detection.
The presence of CCTV recordings, he said, will help the police hasten their investigation of any crime that may happen within the premise of an establishment.
“Makakatulong ito sa imbestigasyon at mapapabilis ang pag resulba ng isang krimen. Sa tulong ng teknolohiya, maiiwasan magsagawa ng krimen at magdadalawang isip ang mga kriminal na gumawa ng mga ilegal na gawain,” Vega said in a statement released Saturday night, June 4, 2022.
Earlier, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on local government units (LGUs) to pass ordinances that will compel business establishments to install CCTV before they should be given business permits.
The policy, DILG said, should especially be imposed on businesses that cater to a large number of customers.
READ: Better-quality CCTV cameras a must for business permits -DILG
“The presence of CCTV cameras in an establishment plays an important function in the daily operations and the public in general. Sa mga malalaking establishments, bago maibigay ang kanilang permit, may CCTV na dapat para na rin sa seguridad ng may-ari, nagtitinda at mamimili,” Vega said.
For her part, Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, information officer of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said the presence of CCTVs would help the police especially in their ongoing investigation of high profile crimes.
The absence of CCTV recordings made CCPO’s investigation on the ambush of Police Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Barandog and his wife’s Yvonne very challenging.
Brandog and Yvone were ambushed on the evening of May 1, 2022 while they were at the vicinity of Barangay Mabolo in Cebu City.
More than a month has passed since the incident but CCPO has not made any arrests relating to the couple’s ambush.
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/ dcb