FOLLOWING the spate of drug-related killings involving “nanlaban” drug suspects in Misamis Oriental, Governor Yevgeny Emano on Monday, September 10, said the capitol is set to distribute body cameras which will be used for the police's anti-illegal drug operations here.
Emano said he will give a minimum of one body camera per town police station, including the anti-narcotics agency and other police units that engage in the government's war on drugs.
The governor said there is a need for police operatives to wear body camera during operations for transparency and to erase doubts and suspicions of irregularity in anti-illegal drug operations.
He said the funds will be coming from his intelligence and confidential funds and that the units will likely be distributed within this year.
“Naa man kitay sundon nga proseso sa paggamit sa atong intelligence funds,” Emano said.
“Ang paghatag sa body camera is para dunay transparency during sa operation especially sa gituohan nga extrajudicial killings or EJK,” he added.
Emano also said he supports the move of the provincial board to have the provincial police office shed light on the increasing shooting deaths of drug suspects.
The capitol's top official added that the accomplishments of the police in the campaign against illegal drugs would only mean that drug personalities remain active in the illicit drug activities despite the warning of President Rodrigo Duterte that the drug war would be more relentless and chilling.
“I would support the call sa SP (provincial board) nga ipatawag ang police for clarificatory inquiry kung dunay mga tawo nga nagduda sa EJK or kung naay nahikawan sa katungod nga mga nakabsan og minahal sa pamilya,” Emano said.
“I trust our police especially the leadership of provincial police director Col. Destura nga dili gyud magbinuang ang police diha sa operations,” he added.
Police anti-illegal drug operatives in Misamis Oriental have already killed eight “nanlaban” drug suspects in August and two during the first week of this month.