NPC meets with DFA for ‘passport data breach’ investigation

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) on Wednesday met with officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) as part of the former's investigation on the alleged passport data breach, according to a report by Sandra Aguinaldo on Balitanghali.

After emerging from the meeting, Anthony Mandap of the DFA legal department clarified that no breach on passport data happened, contrary to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro "Teddy Boy" Locsin Jr.'s initial claim that the firm formerly tapped by the government to print passports had "run off" with applicants' passport data.

Locsin later took back his words, and clarified that the printer, French contractor Oberthur Technologies, merely made the data inaccessible.

Mandap, however, assured the public that all passport data are in the safe hands and custody of the DFA and government-owned corporation Asia Productivity Organization Production Unit (APO-PU).

Mandap stressed that the passport data were not shared with any unauthorized third party.

Stressing the need to resolve the problem immediately, the NPC gave the DFA five days to provide the information that the commission needs for its investigation.

NPC chairman Raymond Liboro said they are already reviewing all DFA contracts related to passport data, including the government's contract with Apo Production Unit Inc.

The contract with private printer United Graphics Expression Inc., the company outsourced by APO-PU, is also covered by the NPC's investigation, he added.

The NPC will also look into the protocols being followed when sharing data between government agencies to confirm if breach had actually happened. — Joviland Rita/MDM, GMA News