Turns out our passport data is safe, that is according to the Foreign Affairs Department’s latest statement.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a statement today to say that its representatives have met officials of the National Privacy Commission (NPC) to assure this.
The controversy started when no less than DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. posted on his Twitter account two weeks ago to say that the former contractor responsible for making passports “made off with [the] data.”
Naturally, everyone got worried; the Philippine National Police chief even called it a national security threat.
Because previous contractor got pissed when terminated it made off with data. We did nothing about it or couldn’t because we were in the wrong. It won’t happen again. Passports pose national security issues and cannot be kept back by private entities. Data belongs to the state. https://t.co/8vsN96jqij
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 8, 2019
But the controversy didn’t end with Locsin’s sudden expose. For unknown reasons, he backtracked on Jan. 15 and tweeted that the data exists and could be accessed by its current contractor APO Production Unit, but it was “not much use and parts [of it are] corrupted.”
Data is not run-away-able but made inaccessible. Access denied. But APO assured me they were able to access but not much use and parts corrupted. APO agrees with me that old passports are best evidence of identity and join me in despising those who don’t agree with me. https://t.co/ln6blIwbIB
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 15, 2019
But according to the DFA’s official statement today, the data is in their custody.
It added: “The Department remains in custody and control of passport data and that this has not been shared with or accessed by any unauthorized party.”
The DFA also said that “measures are in place to protect the personal data of passport applicants in the entire ISO-certified process.”
The DFA said that its officials who attended today’s meeting with the NPC were Data Protection Officer Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Medardo Macaraig, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Neil Frank Ferrer, and other officials.
The Philippine Star reported last week that the NPC will recommend the filing of charges if people are found to have been guilty of the alleged breach.
The body has not issued any statements to say what its next steps will be in light of the DFA’s latest statement.
Reader Interactions