Data Privacy Act not a cloak to deny public's right to know, says Commissioner Liboro

The Data Privacy Act is not a cloak for denying the public's right to know, according to National Privacy Commission Chairman and Commissioner Raymund Liboro.

Nimfa Ravelo of Super Radyo's DZBB reported that Liboro said high-profile inmates like Jaybee Sebastian had become public figures on account of their previous association with particular national issues in the past.

"There is a justified public interest to release information like details surrounding the deaths from COVID-19 of these high-profile inmates, especially when the personal information being sought is linked to issues already on the minds of the public," he added.

Earlier, Liboro said it is up to the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) to confirm if convicted drug lord Jaybee Sebastian indeed perished from COVID-19 while incarcerated.

"We have to leave it to the controller which, in this case, the Bureau of Corrections or the DOJ, bilang controller ng information na ito," he added. -- BAP, GMA News