TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
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25 JUL 10 P2 :00
SENATE 
S. No. ^^8
RtCElVEO 8V;
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
MANDATING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO USE A BODY-WORN 
CAMERA DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
EXPLANATORY NOTE
In other countries, the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) has been a standard 
in law enforcement agencies. This standard was implemented based on studies that 
show the beneficial use of BWCs in law enforcement operations. Following the 
footsteps of modern countries in terms of crime investigation, I have initiated the 
procurement of BWCs for the police force in January 2018 when I was the Chief of 
the Philippine National Police.
During the 19th Congress, the Senate Committee on Public Order and 
Dangerous Drugs had investigated a slew of alleged abuse of force on the part of law 
enforcement agencies. In the wake of recent incidents involving police use of force 
and other issues, the legitimacy of law enforcement operations have been questioned 
and inquired painstakingly into, only to ensure that procedural due process was duly 
observed.
To address these concerns, this measure proposes the institutionalization of 
the mandatory use of BWC in law enforcement operations. It will strengthen the 
evidentiary foundation of investigations and assist in the resolution of disputes, and 
ensure that both law enforcers and civilians are duly protected.


More than just technological tools, BWCs also promote professionalism among 
officers and deter unfounded accusations. It will preserve the credibility of the conduct 
of duties of our law enforcement personnel. This credibility and integrity of our law 
enforcement personnel will in turn improve the public trust and citizen confidence to 
them. It readily becomes a win for the law enforcer, and a win for the integrity of 
procedural processes.
For these reasons, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
RONALD "B^^^ELA ROSA


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No.
SENATE
358
of
25 JUL 10 P2 -00
RtCESVED BY;
Introduced by Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa
AN ACT
MANDATING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO USE A BODY-WORN 
CAMERA DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS, PROVIDING 
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Law Enforcement Body-
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worn Camera Act".
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Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared duty of the State to maintain
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peace and order, protect life, liberty and property and promote the general welfare.
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Towards this end, the State shall continuously develop mechanisms to help improve
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law enforcement transparency and accountability through:
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a) Proper documentation of interactions between law enforcement officers and
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the public during law enforcement operations;
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b) Utilization of modern technology as a tool to deter incidents of abuse or
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misconduct by law enforcement officers during legitimate law enforcement
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operations, as well as safeguard these law enforcement officer's rights against
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false accusations;
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c) Formulation of means to reduce the cost and impact of crime in the community;
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and
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d) Improvement in community relations between law enforcement officers and
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the public by maintaining policies that balance the rights of the public for
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privacy and the promotion of accountability during law enforcement operations.
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Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this act:


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(a) Alternative Recording Device (ARD) refers to an electronic camera system
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which is not a body-worn camera, that is capable of creating, generating,
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sending, receiving, storing, displaying, and processing audio-visual recordings,
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and may be worn during law enforcement activities. To be used as a functional
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equivalent of body-worn camera as defined herein, it shall comply with the
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minimum requirements set forth by the law enforcement agencies in
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accordance with this Act: Provided, That the alternative recording device shall
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be capable of capturing with reasonable clarity the events that transpire during
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the law enforcement operation;
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(b) Body-worn Camera (BWC) refers to an electronic camera system designated to
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law enforcement units for creating, generating, sending, receiving, storing,
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displaying, and processing audio-visual recordings that shall be worn during
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law enforcement operation;
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(c) Data Custodian refers to a designated officer of the law enforcement agency,
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who has the responsibility of storing and safekeeping data recorded from body-
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worn cameras and other alternative recording device;
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(d) Law Enforcement Agency refers to the Philippine National Police, the National
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Bureau of Investigation, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency;
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(e) Law Enforcement Officer means any person authorized by law to conduct law
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enforcement, special police operations, including but not limited to preventing,
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investigating, apprehending, or detaining individuals suspected or convicted of
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offenses punishable under Philippine laws, and other similar police, and law
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enforcement operations;
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(f) Law Enforcement Operation refers to any legitimate operations to enforce laws,
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statues, executive orders, and ordinances including but not limited to the
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service of warrant of arrest, hot pursuit operations, enforcement of visitorial
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powers, anti-illegal drug operations, anti-cybercrime operations, anti-human
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trafficking operations, checkpoint operations, e; and
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(g) Recording refers to digital material generated as a result of using body-worn
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cameras or alternative recording devices, which contains images and audio-
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video footages. It shall include the copies of the material created by way of
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copying to portable media storage and other data repositories.


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Sec. 4. Mandatory Use of Body-worn Camera. - Law enforcement officers are 
hereby mandated to wear and activate body-worn cameras to capture and record the 
conduct of law enforcement operations: Provided, That in case of unavailability of 
body-worn cameras, the law enforcement officers shall use alternative recording 
devices subject to the requirements under this Act.
Sec. 5. Minimum Standards for Body-worn Camera. - Body-worn camera shall 
meet the following minimum standard requirements:
(a) Video resolution
(b) Frame rate
(c) Audio
(d) Date and time stamping
(e) GPS
(f) Battery life
(g) Storage 
continuous
(h) Low-light recording
720p
30 frames per second 
Built-in 
Built-in 
Built-in
eight (8) hours continuous 
capable of storing eight (8) hours 
continuous audio-video footage 
with a night mode built in, a low lux rating, 
and/or and infrared (IR) illuminator
Sec. 6. Guideiines for the Use of Body-worn Camera. - Law enforcement 
officers mandated to wear body-worn camera under this Act shall ensure that:
(a) Both the video and audio recording functions of the BWs/ARDs shall be 
activated and shall commence recording:
i. 
For Warrant of Arrest and Search Warrant Execution, when officers 
approach the target location or upon receiving instructions to proceed 
with the operation;
ii. 
For Warrantless Arrest or Search, at the time when officers have 
reasonable suspicion or probable cause to conduct such actions;
Hi. For Entrapment, Buy-Bust Operations, and other planned law 
enforcement operations, immediately upon arriving at the place of 
operations;
For Hot Pursuit Operations, as soon as officers are engaged in pursuit of 
suspects or vehicles involved in criminal activities, ensuring that 
recording captures the entire pursuit; and
IV.


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V. For Response to Calls or Services, upon dispatch of a law enforcement
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officer in response to a call or service request.
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(b)The Recording shall only be terminated:
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i. For Warrant of Arrest and Search Warrant Execution, when the law
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enforcement officers have completed the execution of the warrant, left
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the premises or area specified in the warrant, and endorsement of
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custody of the person arrested and the items seized to the authorized
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unit or agency;
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ii. For Warrantless Arrest or Search, upon conclusion of the warrantless
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arrest or search, including the transportation of suspects or evidence for
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custody to the authorized unit or agency;
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iii. For Entrapment Operation, Buy-Bust Operation, and other planned law
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enforcement operations, upon the conclusion of the buy-bust operation,
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encompassing the arrest of suspects, seizure of contraband, departure
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of law enforcement officers from the operation location, and the taking
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of the arrested persons and seized items for custody to the appropriate
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unit or agency;
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iv. For Hot Pursuit Operations, upon the conclusion of pursuit, either upon
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the apprehension and taking for custody of suspects or upon officers
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discontinuing the pursuit and the return of law enforcement officers to
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their respective units; 
and
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V. For Response to Calls or Services: Recording shall persist until the
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officers have resolved the situation or incident at the scene and have
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left the premises, ensuring 
comprehensive documentation of the
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response.
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(c) Body-worn cameras shall be worn in a location and manner that maximizes the
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camera's ability to capture a video footage of the law enforcement officer's
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activities during the conduct of law enforcement operation; and
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(d) Body-worn camera shall record in full all the activities incidental to the conduct
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of the operation.
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Sec. 7. Prohibition on the Use of Body-worn Cameras. - The use of body camera
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shall not be allowed in the following instances:


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(a) It shall not be used to gather intelligence information based on protected
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speeches, associations, or religion, or to record activity that it unrelated to a
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response to a call or service or a law enforcement or investigative encounter
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between a law enforcement officer and the member of the public;
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(b) In locations where individuals have a reasonable expectation of privacy, unless
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the recording is being made pursuant to a valid arrest or search warrant of the
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individuals or location, or pursuant to a valid warrantless arrest and search in
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accordance with established rules;
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(c) During privileged communications between the subject of recordings and other
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individuals, such as attorneys, members of the clergy, peer support counselors,
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and medical professionals;
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(d)The recording would pose a serious threat to national security; and
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(e)To obtain data or information surreptitiously that Is unrelated to the purpose
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of the law enforcement operation being conducted.
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Sec. 8. Submission of Recording. - Any law enforcement officer tasked to wear and
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activate BWs or ARDs shall submit to the data custodian of their law enforcement
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agency the recordings of their BWs or ARDs used in the law enforcement operation
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within forty eight (48) hours from the termination of such law enforcement operation.
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Failure to submit the recordings within the period of time specified herein may subject
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the concerned law enforcement officer to administrative penalty.
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Sec. 9. Custody and Period of Retention of the Recordings. - All recordings from
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the body-worn camera or alternative recording devices used during the operation shall
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be stored in an external media storage device and shall be under the custody of the
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law enforcement agency that employs the officer whose camera captured the footage,
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or an authorized agent thereof, for thirty (30) days after the date it was endorsed to
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the data custodian of such law enforcement agency.
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In case there is an order from a judicial, administrative, or quasi-judicial body
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requesting for a copy of the footage, said footage shall be retained by the data
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custodian and will be permanently deleted only after the termination of the case.
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Sec. 10. Use of Redaction Technology. - Whenever doing so is necessary to protect
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an individuai's personal data, the identity of a confidential source or crime victim, or


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the life or physical safety of any person appearing in video footage, redaction
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technology may be used to obscure the face and other personally identifying
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characteristics of that person, including the tone of the person's voice: Provided, That
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the redaction does not interfere with a viewer's ability to fully, completely, and
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accurately comprehend the events captured on the video footage: Provided, further,
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That when redaction is performed on video footage pursuant to this Section, an
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unedited, original version of the video footage shall be retained by the law
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enforcement agency: Provided, fmaiiy. That no other editing or alteration of video
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footage, including a reduction of the video footage's resolution, shall be permitted
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under this Act.
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Sec. 11. Access and Disciosure of Recordings. - Subject to the provisions of
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Republic Act No. 10173, otherwise known as the "Data Privacy Act of 2012", only
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persons duly authorized by the head of the concerned law enforcement agency may
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be allowed to access recordings under their custody. The head of law enforcement
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agency may, in its discretion, grant the use, viewing, copying, or disclosure of
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recording to upon request of the following individuals:
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(a) Law enforcement officers, in connection with the subject of the operation or
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incidental to the occurrence of their operation;
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(b) Any person who is a subject of the recording or his or her counsel: Provided,
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That in case of a minor, his or her parent, guardian or counsel may be
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authorized;
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(c) The spouse, next of kin, or legally authorized designee of a deceased subject
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of the recording, or his or her counsel;
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(d) Any parties in interest in connection with a pending criminal or civil proceeding
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to prevent a serious threat to the fair administration of justice; and
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(e) Any person duly authorized to determine administrative or criminal violation of
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a law enforcement officer during the course of law enforcement operation.
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Sec. 12. Prohibited Acts. It shall be unlawful for any of the identified persons
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to perform the following acts:
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(a) Faiiure to Observe the Requirements for Body-Worn Cameras. - Any law
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enforcement officer who fails to adhere with the requirements on the mandatory


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use of body-worn cameras, or as prescribed in Sections 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of this Act
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shall be subject to the following penalties:
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(1) first offense - punishable by suspension of one (1) month and one
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(1) day to six (6) months;
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(2) second offense - punishable by suspension of six (6) months and one
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(1) day to one (1) year plus demotion to the next lower position:
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Provided, That in case there is no such next lower position available, he
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or she shall suffer diminution in salary corresponding to the next lower
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salary grade; and
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(3) third offense - dismissal from the service;
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(b) Accessing Recording Due to Negligence. - Any person who, due to negligence,
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provides access to recordings without being authorized under this Act or any
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existing law shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from one (1) year to three
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(3) years and a fine of not less than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php500,000.00)
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but not more than Two Million pesos (Php2,000,000.00);
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(c) Spoliation of recording. - Any person who will tamper with, alter, conceal,
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manipulate, falsify, or destroy a recording with the intent to interfere with an
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investigation shall be penalized by imprisonment ranging from six (6) months to
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two (2) years and a fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos
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(Phpl00,000.00) but not more than Five Hundred 
Thousand Pesos
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(Php500,000.00); and
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(d) Unauthorized Use of Recordings. - Any use of the recording that are not in
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accordance with the objective of this Act shall be punishable with an imprisonment
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of not less than six (6) months but not exceeding six (6) years, or a fine not less
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than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) but not more than One Million
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Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of
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the court.
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Sec. 13. Appropriations. - The initial amount necessary for the implementation of
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this Act shall be charged against the current fiscal year's appropriations of the law
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enforcement agency involved. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the
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continued implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General
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Appropriations Act.


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Sec. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Interior and 
Local Government and the Department of Justice, in consultation with the PNP, NBI, 
PDEA, and other concerned government agency, shall within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement 
the provisions of this Act.
Sec. 15. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of the other 
provisions hereof.
Sec. 16. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders and rules 
and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 17. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,