House bill seeks punishment for unauthorized disclosure of phone records

Camarines Sur Rep. Diosdado Macapagal Arroyo wants unauthorized access to and disclosure of phone records, including mobile phone numbers, of any citizen punished.

In filing Bill 6130, Arroyo said any resourceful person could now obtain the phone numbers of mobile phone subscribers.

He said his measure would reinforce a person’s right to privacy in communications and correspondence.

His mother, detained former President and Pampanga Rep. Gloria MacapagalArroyo, co-authored the bill.

Under the bill, violators would be punished with a fine of P20,000 for each violation. Each day of continuing violation would be subject to a fine not exceeding P20,000.

The proposed law does not provide for a prison term for violators.

It would amend Republic Act 4200, entitled, “An Act to prohibit and penalize wire tapping and other related violations of the privacy of communication, and for other purposes.”

“This law, which was passed in 1965, provided protection against individuals who violated privacy of communication by prohibiting and penalizing wiretapping activities,” the younger Arroyo said.

“Due to innovations in information technology, this right to privacy has now been extended in scope to include even electronic ways of communicating,” he said.