The National Privacy Commission (NPC) has announced that it will be conducting an investigation into the alleged leak of documents containing personal data related to law enforcement, and will be meeting with the Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and other concerned agencies for this purpose.
The meeting is scheduled to take place on April 20 at 1:00 pm and will be attended by representatives from the NPC, PNP, Civil Service Commission (CSC), and Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
According to a recent report from an online news outlet, the leaked documents contain personal information such as names, addresses, contact details, and medical records of police officers, prosecutors, and judges.
The NPC views this as a matter of great importance and has taken swift action to ensure that those responsible for the alleged breach will be held accountable.
In a statement, Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga emphasized the NPC's commitment to protecting personal information and stated that they will leave no stone unturned in investigating the alleged breach.
"As your data privacy authority, the NPC is fully committed to protecting personal information and assures the public that we will not leave a stone unturned in getting to the bottom of this alleged breach. We would also like to have this opportunity to remind those who process personal data that they concomitantly must protect the data they collect. Do not collect if you can’t protect," he said.
Commissioner Naga also reminded those who process personal data of their duty to protect the data they collect and urged them not to collect data if they cannot ensure its protection.
In response to the alleged records leak and breach, the NPC has called on the PNP to provide additional information and explanation regarding the incident and is working closely with all concerned agencies to thoroughly investigate the issue.
Commissioner Naga reiterated the seriousness with which the NPC views this matter and emphasized the importance of safeguarding personal data, urging organizations to implement necessary measures to protect personal information.
The NPC also reminded everyone that the right to privacy is a fundamental human right that must be respected at all times.
