The House of Representatives on Monday gave its final nod to a bill seeking to impose stiffer penalties on violators of the Anti-Wiretapping Law, as well as include the usage of electronic devices in wiretapping.
With a vote of 216-0-0, the chamber approved House Bill No. 8378 that seeks to amend the 53-year-old Republic Act No. 4200.
The bill specifically seeks to amend Section 1 of the law to make unlawful unauthorized wiretapping of any oral, wire, radio, digital or electronic communication with the use of any electronic, mechanical, digital or analog phone system or similar devices.
Under the current law enacted on June 19, 1965, wiretapping is prohibited using only dictaphones, dictagraphs, walkie-talkies, and tape recorders.
Once enacted into law, violators will face jail time between six months to six years “without the benefit of probation.”
The bill also seeks to add the following crimes in which law enforcement agencies may conduct wiretapping activities:
- Violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002
- Coup d’etat and conspiracy and proposal to commit coup d’etat
- Piracy
- Syndicated illegal recruitment
- Violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act
- Violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001
The proposed measure would also introduce a new section, which would prohibit public telecommunication entities and other similar entities “to retain data for more than 1 year, except those records of voice and data which are the subject of a pending case.” /kga
Read the bill here: Anti-Wiretapping Law