Lacson: Policy of Discipline, Bodycams to End 'EJKs' and Other Abuses

Lacson: Policy of Discipline, Bodycams to End 'EJKs' and Other Abuses

November 26, 2021 - A policy of discipline, backed by the use of body cameras, will be the answer of the Lacson administration in stopping extra-judicial killings and other abuses by rogue members of the Philippine National Police.

"One word - Discipline. Disiplinahin natin ang uniformed services. Nagsisimula ang abuso kung nawala ang disiplina sa PNP, AFP and uniformed services (One word - discipline. We will ensure discipline in our uniformed services. Abuses start when discipline is lost in the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines and uniformed services)," Sen. Panfilo "Ping" M. Lacson stressed on Thursday at the weekly LACSON-SOTTO Meet the Press media forum.

Lacson said the discipline-based policy has worked before - particularly when he won back the people's trust in the PNP when he headed it from 1999 to 2001 due to a no-nonsense "leadership by example" approach.

He also said one tool that would help prevent abuses is the use of body cameras by police personnel, to ensure transparency in their operations.

"On the spot makikita kung may violation o wala. Para rin sa protection ng pulis yan (On the spot, you will see if the police committed violations. But that is also for the defense of police accused of abuses)," he said.

He added he will not allow the mentality of some rogue police personnel to manipulate evidence, stressing the need to keep the trust of the people especially in far-flung areas where the only representative of the government is the police officer.

"Knowing their mentality… I would know how to address the issue of manipulating evidence. Hindi natin papayagan yan (We will not allow that). It is important to restore trust," he said.

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