PRO-7 gets 20 patrol cars with cams from Japan

CEBU, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte graced the ceremonial turnover of 20 new mobile patrol cars equipped with dashboard cameras to Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO)-7 yesterday.

Also present during the ceremony was Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koji Haneda and Doctor Hiroto Izumi, Special Advisor to the Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe.

The new patrol cars are donated by the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS) and Japan's Grant Aid program.

Japan's Grant Aid Program for the Philippines' Economic and Social Development Program aims to contribute to safety and socioeconomic development, through provision of local and public counterterrorism and safety-related equipment in the country.

These are the first units of patrol cars equipped with dashboard cameras.

According to Senior Supt. Jonathan Cabal, chief of the Regional Logistics Division of PRO-7, a request was sent to the Regional Advisory Council to equip the vehicles with dashboard cameras to record the activities of the police while using the vehicle and promote transparency.

With the new patrol cars, Cabal hopes that the local government units will be able to appreciate the necessity of having dashboard cameras in police cars.

The new Montero Sport patrol cars are  worth P1.2 million each.

Ten units will be for Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), five forLapu-Lapu City Police (LCPO), and five for Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO).

The vehicles already have the names of the police stations.

The press statement of Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation (MMPC) expressed their support in combating all forms of criminalities.

"MMPC is once again delighted to be playing a key role in supporting the work done by local police officers. Today's ceremony demonstrates the considerable trust placed in our vehicles by the Philippine National Police and the vital contribution they make to the fight against terrorism and criminality across the Philippines. As always we are confident that our Montero Sport will deliver remarkable driving performance and be of enormous value to law enforcement as they work to keep local communities safe," the press statement read. (FREEMAN)