Bato: Body cams can’t prevent bombs from exploding but K9 units can

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa on Thursday defended the acquisition of bomb-sniffing dogs over body cameras it could have used in its anti-drug operations.

“Can you prevent a bomb or an improvised explosive device from exploding with a body camera? No. But you can prevent that with bomb-sniffing dogs. That’s important,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing.

He added: “Priority naming ‘yung aso kasi ‘yung threat ng ISIS, ‘yung threat ng terrorism maraming buhay ang mawawala dun. Delikado ‘yung airports natin kapag walang bomb-sniffing dogs.”

Dela Rosa was reacting to Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto’s remark that the PNP could have acquired body cameras if it prioritized these over K9 units.

The 208 dogs, worth P545,000 each, will serve the PNP for up to 15 years.

Dela Rosa said that ideally, the police force should have 620 dogs nationwide.

READ: PNP bought 48 dogs worth P511,600 each instead of body cameras

Procurement of body cams

He said that they did not include the procurement of body cameras in the 2017 budget because they did not see the need for those when they crafted the budget in 2016.

Dela Rosa admitted that the spate of teenage killings last year prompted them to purchase body cameras that can be worn by cops during anti-drug operations.

“Dun sa 2018 budget na crinaft nung 2017, we felt the heat. We felt the need. Nag-react kami sa inyong mga kritiko,” he said.

The police chief said that the PNP will receive the body cameras by June. The Bids and Awards Committee will meet with the interested suppliers Monday.

“Kami talaga bibilisan naming ‘yan, di kami nag-didilly-dally. The more na wala ‘yan, the more na uneasy ‘yung kritiko naming,” Dela Rosa said.

The PNP on Monday relaunched its “knock and plead” anti-illegal drugs campaign which was severely hounded in the past by allegations of human rights abuses by cops.