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The Bureau of Customs reminded officers on the mandatory use of body-worn cameras during condemnation activities
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The requirement is in line with the four-year old Customs Memorandum Order No. 33-2021
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All ports are directed to strictly comply with CMO No. 33-2021 “to ensure transparency and to complement the Facebook Live coverage of all condemnation activities”
The use of body-worn cameras during condemnation activities, including the transport of goods involved, is mandatory, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) reminded its officials.
Under Memo No. 251-2025 dated December 9, 2025, the Assessment and Operations Coordinating Group reiterated the requirement of using body-worn cameras and recording of condemnation activities such as destruction or condemnation of goods, including the transport thereof to designated condemnation facilities.
The memo, which is in line with the four-year old Customs Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 33-2021, directs all ports to strictly comply “to ensure transparency and to compliment the Facebook Live coverage of all condemnation activities.”
READ: Body-worn cameras mandatory in certain customs operations
Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno last September ordered the livestreaming on social media of all condemnation activities and destruction of forfeited and abandoned goods to reinforce “integrity at every stage of condemnation, promotes operational discipline within the BOC, and provides the public with verifiable assurance of a transparent and accountable process.”
Condemnation or destruction is a mode of disposition for shipments that are considered injurious to public health or prohibited under the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).
Goods subject to condemnation include restricted goods highly dangerous to be kept or handled, goods absolutely prohibited unless the mode of disposition is specifically provided by the CMTA, goods prohibited by law to be released, goods with no commercial value, and goods injurious to public health.
Under CMO 33-2021, the use of body-worn camera and the eventual recording of events should be mandatory in customs operations such as:
- approved controlled delivery operation
- boarding formalities
- conduct of auction sales
- destruction or condemnation of goods, including the transport thereof to the designated facility
- Electronic Tracking of Containerized Cargo (E-TRACC)-related operations, particularly the conduct of investigation upon report of violation of E-TRACC rules and regulations
- fuel marking operations;
- guarding duty at customs import exit gates for containers/cargoes, if applicable
- hot pursuit
- inspection of consignees’ offices
- non-intrusive examination of goods
- physical examination of goods within and/or outside of customs zone
- search of persons arriving from foreign countries
- service of Letter of Authority
- search of vehicles, other carriers, persons, and animals
- search on vessels or aircrafts and persons or goods conveyed therein
Only in certain circumstances, such as when employees are on break and conduct of tactical planning, among others, are cameras or devices may be turned off.
The CMO also notes the data privacy rights of an individual under Republic Act No. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act of 2012 must be respected, provided the exercise of such rights does not fall under the exceptions provided by the law.
The issuance of CMO 33-2021 comes after BOC in 2021 received the 200 body-worn cameras it procured for distribution to collection districts nationwide as part of efforts to modernize and enhance enforcement capabilities.
BOC earlier said the cameras will be used by Enforcement and Security Service personnel in performing duties such as container inspection and enforcement.
The cameras acquired by BOC can record video and voice, and can serve as a communication device between the user and the monitoring facility.
Recorded data is transferred through 17 docking stations and can be monitored remotely by the Customs Operation Center, the bureau’s central facility for the command and control of intelligence and enforcement operations of 17 collection districts nationwide.
BOC said the use of body-worn cameras in its enforcement activities is pursuant to Title II Chapter 3 (Exercise of Police Authority) of Republic Act No. 10863, or the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act.
The guidelines are also aligned with Supreme Court rulings regarding the use of body-worn cameras in implementing warrants.
