Lacson downplays security, privacy ‘threats’ of national ID system

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson downplayed on Sunday the warning raised by some groups that the passage of the national identification system bill would pose a threat to security and people’s privacy, saying that only enemies of the government and those who uses “aliases” will be affected by the measure.

Lacson said the bill, which seeks to establish the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys), would be beneficial to billions of Filipinos because they could use the national ID in all transactions.

He said people would not need to carry all their government issued IDs when opening a bank account, applying for a loan, renewing their passport or driver’s license and other processes that would need proof of identification because their PhilSys would be enough.

Lacson said he found the claim of those saying that a national ID would infringe on people’s right to privacy inconsistent, noting that personal information are contained in passports, drivers’ licenses and other government issued IDs.

“To those criticizing the measure, don’t they have driver’s license, or voter’s ID because the information stated on those IDs, including biometrics, are the same information that will be included in the national ID so why are they complaining when they already underwent the process,” Lacson said.

The senator said that those who would be negatively affected by the implementation of the PhilSys would be those using aliases and enemies of the government intentionally hiding their real identities to carry out their activities.

“So this concern of the leftists, members [of the]Abu Sayyaf group and other enemies of government . . . because with the ID system it would be easy to identify who is who,” added Lacson, the sponsor and one of the authors of the bill.

The bicameral conference committee last week approved the reconciled version of the bill and both the Senate and the House of Representatives were expected to ratify this on Monday so President Rodrigo Duterte could sign it into law.

“This [national ID] will a be a landmark legislation because it is only under the Duterte administration that it would be enacted,” the Senator said, adding that the proposal has gone through four different administrations. JEFFERSON ANTIPORDA

Nat’l ID bill okayed today, fears allayed

SENATOR Panfilo Lacson allayed fears raised by some groups on the impending passage of the National ID system that allegedly will pose threats to security and privacy of a person.

The bicameral conference committee last week approved the reconciled version of the bill and both the Senate and the House of Representatives were expected to ratify the consolidated measure today so President Rodrigo Duterte could sign it into law.

Lacson said that only enemies of the government and those who use “aliases” will be affected by the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys).

“Ang di ko maunawaan ang bumabatikos at kumokontra. Wala ba silang mga driver’s license, wala ba silang mga passport o wala silang voter’s ID? Siguradong meron. Ang information na ilalagay sa national ID, pareho lang information pati biometrics at facial image, iris scan, pareho lang. Bakit sila nagrereklamo e dumaan sila sa ganitong proseso?” Lacson said in a radio interview over dzBB.

The senator said that those who would be negatively affected by the implementation of the PhilSys would be those using aliases and enemies of the government intentionally hiding their real identities.

“Siguro ito ang pinangangamba ng mawalang-galang ang maka-kaliwa kasi may mga NPA, may ASG, ang lumalaban sa gobyerno medyo mahihirapan sila ngayon dahil pag nagkaroon ng ID system makikilala talaga kung sino ang sino,” added Lacson.

The measure, Lacson stressed, would be beneficial to millions of Filipinos because they could use the national ID in all transactions.

“Napakaraming pakinabang. Una, kapag nag-transact tayo ng business sa public institutions o pribado, hindi na tayo hahanapan ng kung anu-anong papeles o dokumento para mapatunayan na tayo ang tao na nag-aapply,” he said.

Lacson added that people would not need to carry all their government issued IDs when opening a bank account, applying for a loan, renewing their passport or driver’s license and other processes that would need proof of identification because their PhilSys would be enough.

Lacson said he found the claim of those saying that a national ID would infringe on people’s right to privacy unfounded, noting that personal information are contained in passports, drivers’ licenses and other government issued IDs.

“This (national ID) will a be a landmark legislation because it is only under the Duterte administration that it would be enacted,” Lacson said, adding that the proposal has gone through four different administrations.

“Tatlong dekada ito kasi 1990s pa si Fidel V. Ramos, kaya halos tatlong dekada at sa Kongreso naman parang 18 years na binubuo ito, kasi mag-18 years ako sa Senate. File ako ng file nito,” Lacson added.

Senators support nat’l ID scheme

THE proposal to have one identification form for every Filipino gained support from Senators Koko Pimentel and JV Ejercito.

Pimentel said that the national ID may be of great help in transacting with government agencies and will be useful when voting.

“Ang importante dito, makakatulong sa transaksyon sa gobyerno kasi you produce one ID na magagamit na sa lahat ng government agency,” said Pimentel.

Ejercito also supports the National ID System.

“Ang sa akin suporta po ako dyan para rin not only for database kundi for security. Saka at least iisa na lang ang ID natin ngayon hindi na 5 o 7 ang dala nating ID. So I support the ID system,” he said.

The consolidated House and Senate measures may soon become law.

According to Senator Ping Lacson, the Senate and the House of Representatives reconciled their differences and agreed on a common version of the bill in a meeting of the bicameral conference committee recently, putting it on the verge of being signed by President Duterte into law.

On the issue of security features of the ID, Pimentel said concerned government agencies are set to come up with a system that will protect digital data.

Ejercito said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and IT experts are in charge of protecting the database.

Under the version adopted by the bicameral committee, only the individual’s full name, sex, birthdate, birthplace, address and nationality, as well as biometric information, will be stored in the ID system, Lacson said.

The two panels agreed to adopt the Senate version with minimal amendments, doing away with the proposal in the House to require sensitive information, such as the cardholder’s parents’ names, permanent address, height and weight.

Both the House and Senate versions provide for the creation of a Philippine Identification System to help citizens establish their identity “as a means of simplifying public and private transactions.”

Besides serving as official proof of identity, the ID card may be presented in requesting social welfare, services and benefits from government agencies, applying for passports and driver’s licenses, opening bank accounts, registering as a voter, and getting admitted to schools and hospitals.