PNP welcomes Senate approval of body-worn camera bill

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Tuesday welcomed the Senate’s approval of a measure requiring law enforcement officers to wear body-worn cameras during operations.

The Senate approved on third and final reading Senate Bill No. 1908, or the proposed “Law Enforcement Body-Worn Camera Act.”

The measure requires law enforcement officers from the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to wear the recording device during all operations conducted by their personnel.

Nartatez said the proposed law supports reforms that the police organization has long been pushing to ensure accountability in the conduct of operations.

“We have long been using body-worn cameras, for we believe that they are instruments of truth, transparency and accountability. We hope that this legislative measure will lead to the PNP’s acquisition of more of these recording devices in the future,” Nartatez said.

The use of body-worn cameras has been gradually introduced within the PNP in recent years, with several operational units already using the equipment during selected operations.

The initiative was expanded after earlier internal reforms that sought to document police activities during arrests, checkpoints and high-risk operations.

Nartatez said the police force is ready to expand the program nationwide once the measure becomes law.

In fact, this May, the PNP expects the delivery of 17,000 body-worn cameras to help document police operations.

“Handa ang PNP since we have already integrated body cams in some units. And with the delivery of over 17,000 new units this May 2026, mas palalawigin pa natin ang deployment sa buong bansa,” he said.

The PNP leadership noted that body-worn cameras do not only protect the public from abuses but also shield police officers from work-related harassment, including the filing of cases.

“Body-worn cameras are both a ‘sword and a shield.’ Poprotektahan nito ang publiko laban sa pang-aabuso at poprotektahan din nito ang ating mga pulis laban sa mga gawa-gawang akusasyon,” Nartatez said.