AFTER proving instrumental in the immediate identification and surrender of suspects in a recent hit-and-run incident, Angeles City Vice Mayor Bryan Nepomuceno vowed to further improve and expand the existing P70-million Angeles City Agyu Tamu Emergency and Disaster Command Center (ACATEDCC).
As the official candidate for mayor of the Partido Abe Kapampangan in the May 2019 elections, Nepomuceno made this promise after saying that “because of our hi-tech CCTV (closed-circuit television) network, it only took authorities less than two days to track down the suspects.”
At 3:50 a.m. last Friday, February 15, Fernando Paguinto, an employee at Yokohama Tire Philippines inside nearby Clark Freeport Zone, was killed when the motorcycle he was riding and driven by John Hervin Casas was hit by one of three vehicles allegedly engaged in an illegal drag race along MacArthur Highway in Barangay San Jose, Angeles City.
Based on CCTV footage from the city’s command center, police were able to identify the suspects as Richmond Malicsi, 20, of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga; Richard Pineda Jr., of Guagua, Pampanga; and Marwin Dave Pineda, of the City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
High-resolution video showed Paguinto died after he was run over by a white Honda sedan with plate number CPS-203 driven by Malicsi, who has since surrendered to police. Casas, the driver of the overturned motorcycle, survived serious injuries after being treated at the Ospital Ning Angeles.
Built and installed in April 2017, Nepomuceno revealed that “the city’s command center has at present 87 high-definition CCTV cameras equipped with facial recognition technology, night vision, zoom-in and zoom-out features that can record clear footages even in low light conditions.”
“Operating on a 24/7 basis, the center also has intelligent video analytic software that allows us to monitor and manage vehicular and pedestrian traffic along main roads, intersections, entry and exit points to the city, as well as population centers like school zones, public markets, church premises, government buildings and the city’s heritage district,” Nepomuceno added.
If elected as mayor in May 2019, Nepomuceno said he will ensure that the plans to expand the CCTV network to all 33 barangays of the city will be completed within three years, including faster public WI-FI services in every barangay hall.
“This is all part of our priority agenda to make Angeles a smart and disaster-resilient city wherein we shall use modern information and communications technology to improve public services, prevent disasters, and mitigate peace and order problems,” Nepomuceno said.
According to Nepomuceno, the expanded command center will be led by City Councilor Edgardo Pamintuan, his runningmate for city vice-mayor and son of incumbent Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan who spearheaded the successful planning, establishment and operation of the center.