DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 Oct) — The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is supporting the proposed use of a facial recognition system in the entry and exit points of the city, saying this will help in securing evidence during investigations.

Col. Mannan C. Muarip, acting city director of DCPO, joined the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) and the Task Force Davao in a coordination meeting at the PSSO office on Monday on the facial recognition system proposal, where they talked about finalizing the guidelines.

While concerns of privacy breach and discrimination have surfaced following announcement, Muarip assured that the measure will be implemented with sensitivity and respect.

“The adoption of facial recognition technology must be carried out with utmost sensitivity, ensuring respect for religious diversity and equality. Our goal is to safeguard all communities in Davao City without bias or discrimination,” Muarip was quoted in a Facebook post by the DCPO.

Angel Sumagaysay, a retired police lieutenant colonel and officer-in-charge of the PSSO, said this plan is a “step forward,” especially in the modernization of the city’s security.

“Through responsible implementation and inter-agency collaboration, we can ensure that technology serves the people and protects the city,” he was quoted in the police statement posted on Facebook.

The initiative, to be pushed through a city ordinance to be proposed by Councilor Bonz Andre Militar, chair of the committee on information and technology, is deemed to be the first in Mindanao. It aims to bolster surveillance measures, especially in the city’s borders by adding facial recognition system.

It also seeks to integrate GPS-based caller tracking, geotagging of communication and smart dispatch coordination to the city’s surveillance system.

Meanwhile, Capt. Hazel Caballero-Tuazon, DCPO spokesperson, thanked the city government of Davao for the initiative, saying this is manifestation of the “one step ahead” culture in the city when it comes to safety and security. She said once the ordinance is passed, the proposed facial recognition system, aided by witnesses, will of big help in determining suspects during the conduct of police investigations.

“Davao City is lucky that we have this kind of program by the LGU so we won’t have difficulty in our investigations of in case incidents happen,” she said during a press briefing on Wednesday. (Daniel Jamito / MindaNews)