Law-abiding citizens need not fear nat’l ID – PNP

There is no reason for the public to fear the proposed national identification (ID) system unless an individual has committed an illegal act, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Wednesday.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said the police organization “fully supports” the the national ID system proposal. The bicameral conference committee report on the measure was ratified by the Senate on Tuesday.

“I think, kami rin, we proposed it. We support that 100 percent. We see nothing wrong with having a national ID dahil mukhang tayo na nga lang ang bansang wala nito (I think we also proposed it. We support that 100 percent. We see nothing wrong with having a national ID because it seems that we're the only country without such),” he said.

He went on to compare having multiple IDs to buying cellular phone SIM cards, which he said could be used by criminals in committing crimes.

“Why can you buy these things na pwede mong gamitin sa hindi maganda? Pwede mo ngang mura-murahin yung isang tao or you threaten somebody then throw it away afterwards. Then you can have another one again (Why can you buy these things which could be used in bad things? You can even curse or threaten somebody then throw it [SIM card] away afterwards. Then you can have another one again),” Albayalde said.

“With this, at least alam natin those without a [national] ID and those who did not apply for one, may problema and we can single them out. 'Yun ang isang maganda doon (With this, at least we know those without a [national] ID and those who did not apply for one have problems and we can single them out. That's one good thing about it),” he added.

Apparently, the job of policemen in identifying and tracing criminals will also become easier, according to Albayalde, as all the basic information will be readily available in an individual's national ID.

“If you commit an offense, napakadali na pong makilala. Kapag swipe mo lang ng ID mo, everything will come out already (If you commit an offense, identifying you will be easier. If you swipe your ID, everything will come out already),” he stated.

But the country's top cop admitted that passing the proposed law have its own dangers, particularly the threat on the public's privacy.

“Siguro ito ang concern kasi alam naman natin na hindi talaga fool-proof ang database natin. It can always be hacked kasi mababa yung secrecy and encryptions. Kailangan natin sigurong mapakita sa ating mga kababayan na safe sa amin ang data niyo at hindi ito basta-basta pwedeng ilabas (Probably, this is the [public's] concern because we know that our database is not really fool-proof. It can always be hacked because our secrecy and encryptions are low. Now, we need to prove to the people that their data is safe with us and it will not be easily made public),” Albayalde said.

The proposed bill on the national ID system was authored and sponsored by Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Order and a former PNP chief.

The House of Representatives agreed last week to adopt the Senate's version of the proposed measure, Senate Bill (SB) 1738, with minor revisions.

Lacson had earlier said that one of the benefits of having a national ID is faster and more convenient transactions since an individual only has to present the national ID instead of the usual requirement of at least two valid ID cards.