[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Bill pushes for easy CCTV access for crime probers ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY PRINCE GOLEZ
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Monday, September 4, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=’18’ font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage must be easily made available to law enforcers investigating crimes, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said.
Using CCTV footage has become “a game-changer in our pursuit of justice,” the senator said.
“We must make sure our law enforcers enjoy the maximum benefits of this technology,” he said, mentioning in particular the Philippine National Police and the National Bureau of Investigation.
But Gatchalian clarified that a “very strict law” is needed to address concerns on privacy rights and police abuses.
He filed Senate Bill No. 988, which seeks to “impose parameters and provide guidelines in CCTV installation and access to its recordings.”
Only authorized persons shall be allowed to use, view, copy, or disclose CCTV images and recordings, the bill stated.
Such footage shall be used “to determine whether an offense has been committed against a person or property, and to ascertain the identity of the perpetrator and the manner by which the crime was committed.”
Moreover, crime investigators must be given access to such footage even without court approval, said Gatchalian.
“Court proceedings on requests for access to CCTV footage take a long time,” he said.
“If it is clear that a crime has been committed, the police and other persons in authority should have access to the tapes within 24 hours because in filing cases, time and evidence are of the essence,” he explained.
Lack of evidence like CCTV images or recordings that could bolster cases against suspects may turn criminal prosecutions unsuccessful, Gatchalian added./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
