Public Safety and Security Command Center chief retired General Benito de Leon gives update in a press conference on Wednesday, September 14 on the security measures implemented following the deadly blast in Davao City night market. (Paulo C. Rizal/davaotoday.com)
DAVAO CITY— Local officials are proposing to add more CCTV cameras and implement a profiling system in villages to enhance security measure in the city following the deadly blast last September 2.
Public safety command chief retired General Benito de Leon said that he recommended additional closed-circuit television cameras here to Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte in a bid to beef up security.
De Leon recommended additional 100 and more high definition CCTV cameras to be put up all over the city. The city has more than 100 CCTVs in place.
De Leon said that installing more CCTV is a political issue that must be settled.
“What will you hold higher? Will it be privacy or security?” De leon said during Wednesday’s AFP-PNP press conference at the Davao City Police Office conference room.
DCPO director Michael John Dubria also added that it was useful during investigation.
He said he is hopeful that private businesses will initiate installing high definition CCTV cameras in their establishments.
Dubria said that the investigators had a hard time getting the CCTV clips from the establishments surrounding the blast site along Roxas avenue.
He said they cannot force the private sector but appealed for their help.
“We ask for their cooperation since this is for the good of the majority,” he said.
De Leon said the CCTVs were redirected and repositioned in the night market “so that there will be enough coverage that are considered high risk by our security forces.”
“I am satisfied of the CCTV coverages but as usual there is a large area to be improved on,” he said
Aside from the CCTVs, De Leon said he also recommended in rationalizing of checkpoint.
“We have a lot of checkpoints but these are static or permanent checkpoints,” said De Leon.
He said security forces will conduct more mobile or random checkpoints.
De Leon also added that he recommended to the mayor that there should be more troops deployed to patrol in the city, cooperation with private agencies, and enhanced the intelligence collection effort.
As of now, De Leon encouraged business industries like hotels and malls to cooperate “so that their interest along with the interest of people in Davao and the City of Davao can well be covered.”
Profiling system
Meanwhile, the city government is also eyeing to implement a profiling system to monitor the movement of local residents and visitors in the city.
Ivan Cortez, chief of the City Planning and Development Office, said this is an alternative to the proposed National ID System.
He said the system, proposed to Mayor Duterte, would oblige owners of apartments and accommodation facilities to record the profile their tenants and submit information to their respective barangays.
“Owners of apartments or accommodation facilities should have a system of reporting to the barangay,” Cortez said adding that this is one way of tracking suspected criminals.
The village officials will collect the data and coordinate with the police and the military if necessary.(davaotoday.com)
