The National Capital Region Police Office is currently finalizing its plans to reposition some of its closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in places which might be considered by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as areas of concern during the May 2010 national elections.

NCRPO Chief Roberto Rosales said that based on their initial security assessment, it indicates a remote possibility of violence from taking place in any of the 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila.

Rosales said that the NCRPO wants to ensure that situation is maintained by strictly implementing the total gun ban imposed by the Comelec and by using the capability of its state-of-the-art Regional Tactical Operations and Intelligence Center (RTIOC) to monitor certain areas that would pose certain security concerns.

The NCRPO chief assured candidates and voters that the plan will cover monitoring only the general peace and order situation in the polling centers and will not in any way be used to monitor their right of suffrage, including their right to choose their candidates.

“Under existing laws, the police are prohibited from entering the polling centers, unless summoned by the election officer in charge of the area or in cases of actual violence or violations of election laws. However, the prohibition does not prevent us from enhancing our capability to monitor the polling centers using our cameras,” Rosales explained

He believes that the presence and utilization of the CCTV cameras to monitor some polling centers will even provide a sense of safety and security among voters during the elections, knowing that authorities can see what is happening inside the premises of the polling precincts.

Rosales said that the mere presence of the cameras will deter some candidates from committing prohibited acts within the polling precincts during the day of the elections like campaigning and the bringing of firearms inside the polling precinct.

The NCRPO chief added coordination would be made with the Regional Director of Comelec-NCR, Atty. Michael Dioneda, through the Joint Security Coordinating Center (JSCC) about his plan.

Rosales also appealed to all candidate and voters to support the plan of the NCRPO.