MANILA — The use of new technologies such as drones and closed-circuit television (CCTV) has allowed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to step up and speed up its response to emergency situations, Malacañang said Friday.
It was the response of Palace Press Officer Claire Castro to Vice President Sara Duterte’s comment on “traditional” visibility measures being undertaken by police officers.
Duterte had told the PNP to prioritize the use of modern technology such as drones and CCTVs, instead of focusing on the traditional way of intensifying police presence in public spaces.
Philippine National Police
Citing PNP chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III, Castro said the PNP has already incorporated technologies such as drones and CCTVs in its operations.
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“These have enabled us to build a strong foundation for our quick response,” Torre said, as quoted by Castro.
Torre said the PNP is also ready to show Duterte how the police carry out emergency response.
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“The vice president is welcome to come over and visit us and we are more than happy to show her how important the deployment of our policemen in key areas in our quick response team,” he said.
“Lastly, we respect everyone’s opinion on how the PNP should do their job. Of course, we are willing to listen to the opinions that are credible and make sense,” Torre added.
On June 17, Torre said the government’s unified Emergency 911 system also plays a crucial role in providing Filipinos with faster and more reliable access to life-saving assistance.
