Biazon to Palace: Define military secrets that must be shielded by law

Senator Rodolfo Biazon on Saturday said Malacañang has to define first what military secrets should be protected by law, before legislators craft a measure for the non-disclosure of information about the operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Biazon, chairman of the Senate Committee on Security and National Defense, said the law protecting military secrets must not include illegal acts. “Wala tayong argumento sa protecting military secrets, pero di puwedeng sakupin ‘yan ng unconstitutional and criminal acts (There is no argument that we need a law to protect military secrets. But we want to make sure such a law will not be used to shield wrongdoers who commit unconstitutional and criminal acts)," Biazon said in an interview on dzXL radio. He particularly referred to the “Hello, Garci" wiretap mess, where military intelligence agents were ordered to conduct surveillance on the phone conversations of political personalities during the 2004 election period. Earlier this week, Malacañang issued Administrative Order 197, which seeks to strengthen the protection of military secrets through a law. Biazon, however, said Malacañang has not defined in the order what kind of military secrets must be shielded through a law. “Ano ang definition ng military secrets? Kasama ba d’yan ang Garci tapes? Kasama ba riyan ang destabilizer at political killings? Kasama ba riyan ang corruption? Ano ba ang binibigay nila ng definition ng military secret (How does Malacañang define military secrets? Does it cover the Garci tapes? Does it cover destabilizers and political killings? Does it cover corruption? What exactly does Malacañang want to cover with such a law)?" Biazon said. Biazon said lawmakers have to be cautious in crafting a law to protect military secrets as this could be in conflict with existing laws. He said Commonwealth Act 616 already punishes espionage and other offenses against national security, while the Revised Penal Code’s Art. 229 punishes officers who reveal state secrets. - GMANews.TV