Bertiz: No need for Congress inquiry into supposed passport data breach


Published January 17, 2019 5:21pm 
By ERWIN COLCOL, GMA News

ACTS OFW party-list Representative John Bertiz III on Thursday said there is no need for an investigation at the House of Representatives into the supposed passport data breach at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
In a media forum, Bertiz said that instead of an investigation, the House could just look back to the recommendations they gave after their inquiry into the delay in the release of passports and make sure that they are being implemented.
"Huwag na nating imbestigahan 'yun kasi meron namang House resolution and recommendations sa Congress," Bertiz told reporters.
"Since meron nang House resolution na inilabas ng Kongreso, balikan na lang natin kung ito ay naipapatupad o kung ano na ba 'yung roll-out plans ng DFA tungkol dito sa House resolution na ito," he said.
At the same time, Bertiz said the National Privacy Commission is already conducting its own investigation into the issue.
Bertiz said that in 2016, he filed House Resolution 646 seeking an inquiry into the delays in the issuance of passports to Filipino applicants and the utilization of the passport revolving fund.
After almost a year of inquiry, Bertiz said the Committee on Foreign Affairs came up with a number of recommendations, including implementing an e-payment system for passport processing; increasing the budget of the DFA and adding more consular offices; and enacting a law that mandates the government to do the printing of passports.
"We gave several recommendations sa resolution na 'yan, at 'yun ang babalikan natin," Bertiz said.
The Gabriela Women's Party on Tuesday filed a resolution seeking to investigate the supposed passport data breach, citing the possible violation of the right to privacy of the passport holders.
In the Senate, at least two resolutions also seeking a probe have been filed, authored by Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Risa Hontiveros. — BM, GMA News

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