Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 
AN ACT MANDATING LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO WEAR A BODY 
CAMERA DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SPECIAL POLICE OPERATIONS, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The State possesses a monopoly on violence within the bounds of its sovereign jurisdiction. Be 
that as it may, the State can exercise such monopoly only within the bounds of what is granted to 
it by the members of its polity through consent-that which is granted by law. 
While the Philippines has taken steps to professionalize law enforcement and its practices amidst 
the grim backdrop and reputation of their predecessor agencies prior to the 1987 Constitution, 
certain gaps remain such that there still exists considerable enmity and distrust between law 
enforcement and the People due to allegations of corruption, abuse of authority, and a lack in 
accountability and transparency. 
This bill aims to bridge that gap by mandating the use of body cameras during law enforcement 
and special police operations while also aiding judicial and quasi-judicial procedures in the 
pursuit of justice. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of the bill is earnestly sought. 
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 
11066
November 12, 2024
8:00 am


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Batasan Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by  
HON. ATTY. GERVILLE “JINKY BITRICS” R. LUISTRO 
AN ACT MANDATING LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL TO WEAR A BODY 
CAMERA DURING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SPECIAL POLICE OPERATIONS, 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the "Body Camera for Law Enforcement 
Personnel Act". 
SEC 2. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are defined as 
follows: 
a.) Law Enforcement Officer refers to any person authorized by law to prevent, investigate, 
conduct searches and other police operations, apprehend or detain individuals suspected 
or convicted of offenses under Philippine laws; 
b.) Law Enforcement Operation refers to any legitimate police operations which include but 
not limited to service of warrants of arrest, implementation of search warrants, 
enforcement of visitorial powers, anti-illegal drug operation, anti-illegal gambling 
operations, anti-illegal logging operations, anticarnapping operations, anti-cybercrime 
operations, special police operations and similar operations that are conducted to enforce 
laws, statutes, executive orders and ordinances; 
c.) Video Footage refers to any images or video recorded by a Body Camera; 
11066


 
d.) Subject of the Video Footage refers to identifiable law enforcement officer or any 
identifiable suspect, victim, detainee, conversant, injured party, or other similarly situated 
person who appears on the body camera recording, and shall not include people who only 
incidentally appear on the recording. 
 
e.) Body Camera refers to a wearable body camera that is used by law enforcement officer 
by his/her agency that records both audio and video when conducting police operations. 
 
SEC. 3. Mandatory Use of Body Cameras. – All law enforcement officers that conduct police 
operations shall be required to wear a body camera and record the events while in the course of 
conducting any police operations as defined in this Act. 
 
SEC. 4. Guidelines for the Use of Body Cameras. – Any law enforcement enforcer mandated to 
wear a body camera shall ensure that: 
 
a.) The body cameras shall be worn in a location that maximizes the camera's ability to 
perform its full potential by capturing audio and video footage of the law enforcement 
officer's activities; and 
 
b.) Both video and audio recording functions of the body camera shall be activated whenever 
a law enforcement officer is responding to a call for service or at the initiation of any 
other law enforcement or investigative encounter between a law enforcement officer and 
a member of the public. The body camera shall not be deactivated until the encounter has 
concluded and the law enforcement officers leave the scene. 
 
SEC. 5. Prohibition on the use of Body Cameras. – The use of body camera shall not be 
allowed in tire following instances: 
 
a.) Body cameras shall not be used to gather intelligence information based on protected 
speeches, associations, or religion, or to record activity that is unrelated to a response to a 
call for service or a law enforcement or investigative encounter between a law 
enforcement officer and the member of the public. 
 
b.) Law enforcement officers shall not activate the camera while on the grounds of any 
public, private or parochial elementary or secondary school, except when responding to 
an imminent threat to life or health. 
 
c.) Video footage shall not be divulged or used by any law enforcement agency for any 
commercial or other non-law enforcement purpose. 


 
d.) No government agency or official, or law enforcement agency, officer, or official may 
publicly disclose, release, or share body camera video footage unless provided for by 
law. 
 
e.) Body cameras shall not be used surreptitiously. 
 
SEC. 6. Storage of Data and Audit of Video Recordings. – The DILG, in coordination with the 
NAPOLCOM and DICT, shall establish a secure and organized data storage system which shall 
keep the video recordings gathered in relevant law enforcement operations. 
 
An inter-agency body consisting of the DILG, NAPOLCOM, and Commission on Human Rights 
shall be created, and shall audit the recordings to prevent tampering, deleting, copying. 
 
SEC. 7. Penalties. – Any act or omission causing the violation of duties mandated under this Act 
shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) and /or suspension 
without pay for a period not exceeding three (3) months, without prejudice to other 
administrative, civil or criminal liabilities that may arise therefrom. 
 
SEC. 8. Funding. – The initial amount necessary for the implementation of this Act shall be 
charged against the current fiscal year's appropriation of the law enforcement agencies involved, 
such as, but not limited to, the DILG, the NAPOLCOM, the PNP, the BJMP and PDEA. 
Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be 
included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – Should any provision of this Act or part hereof be declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not affected thereby shall remain valid 
and effective. 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, and issuance or portions thereof which 
are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified 
accordingly. 
 
SEC 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least 
two newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,