Body Camera (Video) Act: An Effective Tools for Defense

Ang inihain pero nakatengga at hindi natatalakay na batas na “Body Camera Act” ni Congressman Ruffy Biazon sa Kongreso ay napapanahon na para bigyan ng seryosong pansin. Ito ay bunsod na rin ng di umano’y palpak na drug operation ng Caloocan police na nagresulta sa kamatayan ng isang kabataang estudyante na si Kian Loyd Delos Santos. Sa kabila ng pagsuporta ng nakararaming mamamayan sa “war on drugs” ni President Rodrigo Duterte, ang kaliwat kanang pagkamatay ng mga suspect drug offender sa mga police operation ay totoong nakababahala na rin.  Ang “gasgas” at “paulit-ulit” na kuwento na "nanlaban" ang biktima ay nakaririndi na sa pandinig ng taong bayan, at hindi na halos pinaniniwalaan. So, to make all the police operation more credible kailangan na talaga ng “mata” na makakakita sa totoong pangyayari o nangyayari.

Sa panahon natin ngayon, moderno na ang teknolohiya at hindi na posible na magkaroon ng mata ang ating kapulisan kapag nagsasagawa ng drug operation. Netizen used their cellphone cameras and videos to document the abusive behavior of some person whom they encountered. This serves as an evidence for their grievances. Some vehicle owner install camera too, to record the accidents in the road while travelling. They can also post in their facebook account the unusual event that they captured to call the attention of the Netizen and the authorities concerned. How come that the police authorities themselves who are now subject to criticism in their war against drugs cannot do this as a “tool” for their defense in case of doubt.  Unless otherwise, they have “Ill motives” and bad intentions to hide their unlawful acts.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs and the flaws made by the police themselves were capitalized by the opposition to make a “monster” out of it. Ito ang dahilan kaya dumarami ang kanilang audience here and abroad. Maging ang mga media entity ay iniha-higlight ang mga video at larawan ng mga napatay sa war on drugs, kung saan sadya talaga nilang pinakikita in close up ang mga nanlilimahid at suot na tsinelas ng mga naabulagtang biktima. This means na pawang mga mahihirap ang napapaslang sa war on drugs and it can easily earn sympathy  here and abroad. So what must the government and the police authorities in particular do to counter this bad image against them? To have their own eyes that can document the real and actual events while they conduct drug operation. This may also refute all the allegations against them.

The "urgency" of this Body Camera Act (video actually) must not be taken for granted by our legislators. Ang magandang layunin ng war on drugs ni President Rodrigo Duterte ay nababahiran ng controversy dahil sa kapalpakan at pagiging “trigger happy” ng mga notorious police hardcore and scalawags. Nagagamit din ito ng mga kalaban (Drug protectors, Political oppositions and propagandist, Makabayan Bloc, etc)  para hiyain ang Duterte administration and even use it to destabilized the Duterte administration. 

I salute Congressman Ruffy Biazon for this proposed law. Walang dapat idahilan ang mga pulis para hindi sundin at ipatupad ang batas na ito kapag naipasa at gawing requirement at compulsory sa kanilang mga drug operation. Maliban na lang marahil sa kanilang pansarili at masasamang motibo. Nararapat ding lapatan ng kaukulang penalty o kaparusahan ang lalabag dito.