DND wants legal wiretapping period extended to as many as 90 days

The Department of National Defense is pushing for an amendment of the country's anti-terror law that will allow wiretapping operations for as long as 90 days.

According to Joseph Morong's report on "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho", the Human Security Act allows wiretapping on suspects only for 30 days and only with permission obtained from the Court of Appeals.

"In the olden times, when there was no cellphone, landline lang ang ginagamit ng mga tao e. So madali mo i-wiretap yan," Lorenzana said.

"But ngayon, it's already cellphones, eh. And in fact... people can have several cellphones. That makes it very challenging. That's why we need more time," he added.

The defense department also wants more time to detain suspected terrorists without the filing of charges from three days to as many as 30 while the government gathers evidence.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier called for the revival of the anti-subversion measure that would outlaw the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Lorenzana said even the legal fronts of the CPP-New People's Army-National Democratic Front should be outlawed.

"If a legal front is fronting for an illegal activity, they should be illegal," Lorenzana said.

It was in 1992 when the anti-subversion law was repealed.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Benjamin Madrigal said it was apparent that the CPP and its legal fronts were involved in the supposed crimes of the NPA.

"The actual crimes, of course, will not happen without planning by the affiliates and accomplices," Madrigal said.

Former Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares took exception to the allegation. 

"Kung totoo ang sinasabi nila, bakit di nila kinakasuhan?" Colmenares said. —NB, GMA News