House panel endorses wiretapping for drug cases

MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives committee on dangerous drugs has endorsed a bill that will allow wiretapping in illegal drug-related cases.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers, committee chairman, said yesterday allowing wiretapping of suspected drug peddlers would strengthen the government’s campaign “against this menace in our society.” 

The still unnumbered bill is a consolidation of eight related measures that seek to amend Republic Act 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Act.

Aside from Barbers, the authors of the consolidated bill are Reps. Michael Romero and Enrico Pineda of party-list group 1-Pacman, Leopoldo Bataoil of Pangasinan, Ferdinand Hernandez of South Cotabato, Romeo Acop of Antipolo City, Cristal Bagatsing of Manila and Gary Alejano of Magdalo.

The anti-wiretapping law penalizes the monitoring of a citizen’s telephone conversation, except in certain cases like rebellion, sedition, kidnapping, espionage, and other crimes against national security.

“Drug-related offenses would be added to this list where wiretapping would be authorized, but always with the order of a competent court. Law enforcers applying for a wiretapping permit must sufficiently prove that a crime is about to be committed,” Barbers said.