UN special rapporteur Khan meets with NPC officials

United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan went Tuesday morning to the National Privacy Commission as part of her official country visit to examine the state of rights to freedom of opinion and expression in the country.

Privacy Commissioner John Henry Naga said Khan seemed satisfied and happy after their one-hour meeting after the NPC explained its role in protecting the data privacy of Filipinos.

He expressed belief the NPC was the first office Khan visited because of the incident last year where a journalist in Bicol was refused access to a blotter.

He said the NPC released an advisory opinion that media are exempted from the Data Privacy Act as long as the information they get from the police blotter are used in the news reports. However, journalists should also follow the procedures stated by the police.

“We stated na media are exempt from the coverage of the DPA as long as they will use ‘yung nakikita nila sa blotter sa news report. At the same time, on the other end, ‘yung pulis may sarili silang procedures on how you can access the blotter and we should also follow that and we should also respect that,” Naga said.

Aside from the NPC, Khan will also meet with representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice, Supreme Court, Presidential Task Force on Media Security, Anti-Terrorism Council, civil society, and private companies.

She will also be meeting with leaders of Congress.

Khan, who arrived on Monday, will also be going to Baguio City, Tacloban City, and Cebu City.—Maki Pulido/AOL, GMA Integrated News