Lacson doubts cops’ have no wiretap capability
Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Thursday expressed doubts on law enforcers’ claim that they had no capability to wiretap electronic communication devices.
Without mincing words, Lacson asked the heads of law enforcement agencies present during a hearing of the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which he chairs, if they had that capability.
“None,” was Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa’s immediate response.
“Anyway, you’re under oath,” said Lacson, who was PNP chief from 1999 to 2001. “So you’re not in any way capable of intercepting electronic communication?”
“No sir. How I wish we have that capability,” De la Rosa said.
The senator then directed his question to the National Bureau of Investigation but he also received the same answer.
“I’m not saying that you’re wiretapping. I’m just asking if you have the technical capability to wiretap, to intercept electric communications,” Lacson said.
“I know there’s this equipment that is capable of intercepting and even recording, jamming … that’s why I don’t believe General Bato when he said na wala silang capability,” he added.
When Sen. Leila de Lima earlier told the committee that her cell phones were being tapped, De la Rosa claimed that his phone was being tapped too. This prompted Lacson to inquire about the law enforcers capability to wiretap.
READ: De Lima: My cell phones were tapped
Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III provided an answer to Lacson’s query.
“There’s also an easy answer to the question who are capable of wiretapping, the telcos. Nobody can beat them. They can wiretap anyone,” Sotto said.
Sen. Manny Pacquiao then moved to invite the National Telecommunications Commission in the next hearing of the committee.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Lacson reiterated that he did not believe the law enforcers but said he understood if they would not admit it because it was a sensitive issue.
“We’ll have to take their word for it although I don’t believe them when they said that. Pero still, we have to take their word,” Lacson said./rga
