The Data Privacy Act may be applicable to Persons Deprived of Liberty because his death reportedly caused by a contagion as dreaded as COVID-19 can subject his immediate family to undue discrimination and suffer from the stigma that they may suffer from the public, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Monday.
(CZAR DANCEL / MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
Lacson, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, stressed this to support the position of Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) Director-General Gerald Q. Bantag who refused to give the identities of BuCor inmates, particularly high-profile prisoners, who reportedly died of COVID-19 at the New Bilibid Prisons in Muntinlupa City.
Bantag said he would submit to his immediate superior, Department of Justice (DoJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra, the list of high profile inmates who died due to suspected COVID-19 infection but refused to name them during a radio interview.
He cited the Data Privacy Act as basis for his refusal.
Lacson, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, maintained that there are certain details of one who has been convicted of a crime after going through a court trial that might be generally accessible to the public except for some very isolated cases, mostly due to security considerations.
He said the Data Privacy Act might actually be applicable ‘’in the case of Jaybee Sebastian and other high value prisoners,’’ now called ‘’persons deprived of liberty (PDLs),’’ who reportedly succumbed to COVID-19.
Nevertheless, legislators, in an inquiry in aid of legislation, could ask relevant questions, especially in an executive session, he explained.
"Unless there is very compelling reason to suspect any foul play -- and as of now, there is none -- personally, I'd rather focus on more pressing matters than be distracted by the death/s of drug convict/s who had shown no remorse at all by continuing their drug operations even in the confines of the high-security facility of the New Bilibid Prison , right under the noses of prison officials, corrupting those who have no moral fortitude to resist even drug money.’’ he said.
Sebastian is one of the witnesses against opposition Sen. Leila de Lima who has been in detention the past three years for drugs charges.