An official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will recommend the use of crime-monitoring projects to the incoming officials of the department.

“Nasa sa kanila na po yun kung gusto nilang ipagpatuloy pero highly recommended po yun, kung nasimulan lang sana ng maaga nung 2019 dapat patapos na yan today (It is up to them if they want to pursue the said program but it is highly recommended. If only this was started in 2019 this would have been finished by now),’’ said DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III in a TeleRadyo interview.

However, Densing admitted that one project the department did not pursue is the ‘Safe Philippines Program’ since the funds for the P20-billion project was not released.

“Ito yung paglalagay ng maraming CCTV (closed circuit television cameras), around more than 10,000 CCTVs supposedly sa buong Metro Manila na funded po ng Chinese or China import and export bank (This project is the installation of CCTV, around more than 10,000 CCTVs supposedly for the whole of Metro Manila which is funded by the Chinese or China import and export bank),” he said.

He noted that they withdrew from the project ‘as early as late last year’ since we believe that the funding approval will come in late adding that ‘hindi pa rin lumalabas yung funding kahit naaprubahan na (the funds were not released even if the project was already approved).’

As to the use of body cameras during operations, Densing has called for their continued use under the next administration citing that it is the ‘most important project’ that should be continued to determine any human rights violation.

Densing said that the purchase of body cameras had already started last year during the time of retired Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Guillermo Eleazar.

But, Densing disclosed that some police officers still have not received their body cameras.

“I would think the body cam is the most important project or program that should be installed in the next administration,” Densing noted.

The DILG executive said he will recommend to the next set of DILG officials if they can continue to and enhance the requirement for the police officers to use body cameras.

Densing pointed out that the outgoing DILG officials are prepared for the transition process since the camp of presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. appointed that former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Ben-hur Abalos as the next DILG chief. (Chito A. Chavez)