SC asked to stop Comelec from spying on poll watchdogs

The Supreme Court building in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The Automated Election System Watch (AES Watch) has asked the Supreme Court to stop the Commission on Elections from using its P30-million intelligence fund to spy on poll watchdogs.

In their petition for writ of habeas data, convenors and members of AES Watch asked the high court to order the Comelec to disclose and subsequently destroy whatever intelligence information the poll body had gathered against members of election watchdogs.

A writ of habeas data is a remedy available to any person whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act or omission of a public official or employee or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information regarding the person, family, home and correspondence of the aggrieved party.

Habeas data, in general, is designed to protect by means of judicial complaint the image, privacy, honor, information, and freedom of information of an individual. It is meant to provide a forum to enforce one’s right to the truth and to informational privacy.

The AES Watch filed the petition after Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte confirmed on May 24 that Comelec has a P30-million intelligence fund from the Office of the President.