AFP chief rejects limits to electronic surveillance in draft charter

The head of the military on Thursday said he is opposed to some of the provisions in the proposed new charter drafted by President Rodrigo Duterte's Consultative Committee (Con-com).

Interviewed after the presentation of the draft constitution to the military in Camp Aguinaldo, Armed Forces chief General Carlito Galvez said he is not in favor of the proposed limitation in the conduct of electronic surveillance.

He said such limitation may result to "unintended consequence" like the dismissal of cases against suspects.

Galvez also said he is opposed to the removal of the "protector of the people" role of the AFP, noting that the military takes "pride" in being the protector of the people and the State.

"That is what the communists want to be removed," said Galvez.

The presentation of the amendments in the Constitution was led by retired Army Lt. Gen. Ferdinand Bocobo and was attended by hundreds of officers and enlisted men.

Bocobo, a lawyer, said under the proposed new charter, civilian authority remains supreme over the military but said they removed the phrase "protector of the people" mandate of the AFP.

He said the phrase was "used before by our mutineers and coup plotters."

"It's really the government that is the protector of the people," he said.

The body also introduced in the proposed constitution the surveillance warrant, which will be on top of the arrest and search warrants, "to protect unnecessary unreasonable surveillance," Bacobo said.

Because of the techology now, Bocobo said anyone can be subjected to surveillance by security forces.

"So this was inserted, this was thoroughly discussed," he added of the provision.

Bocobo said he objected the provision because this may limit the function of the defense sector. —KBK, GMA News