Gabriela seeks House probe of passport data controversy

The Gabriela Women's Party on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking to investigation the supposed passport data breach at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

In House Resolution 2409, party-list Representatives Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas directed the House Committee on Information and Communications to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on the said incident.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier said that the reason why DFA was requiring passport holders to submit their birth certificates in renewing their passports was because the passport maker took all the data when its contract was terminated.

He later backtracked after the government printer APO said that the passport data was intact and accessible.

The lawmakers expressed concern on the possible violation of the right to privacy of the individuals whose passport data are allegedly taken away by the passport maker.

"The right to privacy is both a fundamental and a natural right which should be possessed and enjoyed by everyone in a democratic state. This unlawful and unethical data mess poses threat to the people's personal and national security," the resolution read.

"The stolen sensitive data may be potentially used to commit fraud in the upcoming 2019 midterm elections and even in gaining access to personal financial accounts via identity theft," it added.

In the Senate, at least two resolutions have already been filed to investigate the possible passport data breach, authored by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Risa Hontiveros.

At the same time, the National Privacy Commission is also investigating the incident. —NB, GMA News