PHILIPPINE National Police chief Avelino I.
Razon yesterday denied ever planning to set up closed circuit
television cameras at the Senate, the prospect of which has
angered some senators who feel that the police would be spying
on them.
The alleged plan to set up CCTV cameras in
the Senate was aired in a radio program and attributed to Senate
sergeant-at-arms Jose Balajadia.
"Hindi kami maglalagay ng CCTV sa Senado.
Sila ang dapat maglagay ng CCTV sa premises para makatulong sa
security," Razon said. He added that they are not monitoring the
movements of NBN-ZTE witness Rodolfo Noel Lozada either.
"I want to correct the impression that we
will set up cameras where Lozada goes. We have been setting up
CCTVs long before (Lozada appeared as witness)," Razon said in
Tagalog.
Razon said he came up with the plan to use
CCTV cameras in selected areas before he became PNP chief and
after his trip to London where he saw how authorities there
solved the bombing of an underground rail station through the
help of CCTV cameras.
Senate President Manny Villar had earlier
attacked the alleged plan, saying that the PNP's way of securing
people is by frightening them, like Lozada.
Razon said: "Hindi sila dapat matakot dahil
ang PNP ang nagse-secure din sa Senado at sa House of
Representatives at iba pang installation. Ang PNP rin ang
nanganga-laga ng security sa buong kapuluan kaya parang unfair
sabihin na nakakatakot ang security ng PNP."
Razon said well-secured places like
Malacañang Palace and the Central Bank of the Philippines are
also equipped with CCTVs just like shopping malls and other
commercial banks. "Those are to guard the perimeter, the
surroundings of the establishment and not for spying. There is
nothing sinister about the use of CCTVs being set up in
strategic places and vital installations. This is anti-crime
tool," he said.
The PNP announced last week that 30 additional CCTVs will be
installed to complete the 56-camera setup planned for Metro
Manila to monitor the crime situation and traffic flow. The
latest CCTV camera was installed in front of the De La Salle
Greenhills gate where Lozada sought refuge before testifying
against the administration in the Senate. - Raymond Africa
