The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Tuesday, May 11, lauded the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) decision to have its members wear body cameras in the service of search and arrest warrants.

“The decision of the PNP leadership to use body cameras in serving search or arrest warrants is a step in the right direction and puts to good use the equipment already purchased,” IBP President Domingo Egon Q. Cayosa said in a statement.

Cayosa said the IBP expresses its hopes and trust “that the use of this technology will encourage, if not compel adherence to the rule of law” amidst complaints that policemen have been planting evidence and even engaged in extra-judicial killings in the service of warrants against activists and critics of the government.

“The use of body cameras promotes transparency and accountability,” he said.

“The body camera recording helps deter overreach or abuse in the service of warrants and also protects police officers from unfounded accusations,” he added.

Meanwhile, the IBP prodded the PNP and the Supreme Court (SC) to speed up the promulgation of rules on the use of body cameras.

Last Monday, May 10, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said the promulgation of rules on the use of body cameras by the police “is a top priority in our agenda.”

The SC said the adoption of rules “is without prejudice to the Court’s deliberations on whether we can cover with our rules of procedure the conduct of buy-bust operations in the enforcement of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act.”

Last Sunday, May 9, the PNP said it has started finalizing the protocol for the use of body cameras in police operations to avoid legal technicalities particularly in the prosecution of suspected criminals.

PNP Chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said they need to consult other government agencies and the SC in crafting the protocols that must be observed by the police in using the body cameras.

The use of body cameras had been discussed by the SC justices, led by Gesmundo, during the PNP’s virtual courtesy call on the new Chief Justice last April 22.

The issue on body cameras was one of the courses of action the SC adopted to address the threats and killings of lawyers in the country.

Several advocacy groups have also called on the SC to impose the use of body cameras in police operations.

The call was aired anew after nine activists died last March 7 in Southern Luzon provinces during the joint police and military operations in serving search warrants for persons with alleged links to communist terrorist groups.