Revived nat'l ID scheme won't need new card - PNP

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Avelino Razon, Jr on Tuesday said the revived proposal for a national ID system will not be requiring the production of a new card. Rather, existing identification cards like those issued by the Social Security System, Philhealth, and the Government Service Insurance System will just be "integrated" to a common database for a single source of personality verification. "We will not come up with a new ID card (for this purpose)… What we will do is just integrate all existing ID's like the SSS, GSIS, Philhealth," Razon told reporters in Camp Crame. But while he said that the purpose is for easier delivery of basic services by government, the PNP chief admitted that the proposed system will also be very helpful for internal security operations of the police and military. "The President emphasized that this should not be geared much to the national security requirements but on the delivery of basic, social services," Razon said. But he said that the system will definitely be a helpful tool in the conduct of national security operations because the establishment of identities will also lead authorities to criminals and terrorists. "Terrorists and criminal elements thrive in conditions where they can hide their names. This is why insurgents use alias or guerilla names so that even if they are already right in front of you, you wouldn't know that they could already be guerilla commanders. But now, with that system, like in a barrio, you will already know who are not residents there," Razon explained. Razon reiterated the government's appeal to public to not to worry about intrusions into their privacy or violation of their rights with the proposed system because this will just be used to verify one's personality or identity. He said this is no different from the purpose of individual ID cards that are being used now by every Filipino, like school ID cards. "We have to do this. Even progressive countries, democratic countries, they have a national ID system. In the US, they have their internal revenue ID," the PNP chief said. On Monday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) recommended to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during a command conference at Camp Aguinaldo that a national ID system be implemented in the country the soonest possible time in line with its goal of neutralizing the insurgents and secessionist rebels by 2010. In response, President Arroyo directed the Department of National Defense to study the proposal, although there was no deadline given for the conduct of said study. - GMANews.TV