Saturday, January 12, 2008 National ID system to take effect next year: police chief
NATIONAL Police Chief Avelino Razon Jr. is hopeful that the proposed National Identification (ID) system would be implemented within the year, allaying fears that it would impinge on the rights, particularly the privacy of the people.
Razon, at the 107th anniversary of the Manila Police District (MPD) celebration in Manila, said Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro is now studying the proposed ID system.
He said the conduct of a study does not violate a Supreme Court (SC) ruling in 1998 stating that Congress can only implement a National ID system through its a law passé.
He said he also does not see any reason why the implementation of an ID system could violate the existing laws including the Constitution.
"This (ID system) would not violate the Supreme Court ruling, nor will it impinge on the rights of or citizens, violate their right to privacy," he said.
Razon said the ID System would only integrate or consolidate the different existing ID cards into one and include the basic and existing information that different ID cards currently carries.
He added that the ID system would boost the campaign against insurgency, terrorism and even ordinary street crimes.
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, in the same event acknowledged a big reduction in the volume of crimes in the country, which she said went down by about 40 percent in 2007. No other data was, however, available.
Arroyo said she expects the police to sustain this successful anti-criminality campaign particularly in Manila with the awarding of 82 new mobile cars - 60 coming form the Manila City Government, 20 from the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. and two from the Filipino-Chinese Business Club.
She ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. to shoulder the daily gas allotment of 15 liters per patrol vehicle of the new 82 vehicles to cushion the impact of rising oil prices on the Philippine National Police (PNP).
She also directed the MPD to address the problems of gang wars and the use and peddling of illegal drugs in the Manila area.
The President directed Razon to coordinate with Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap for the setting up of a Tindahan Natin outlet at the MPD headquarters to enable the Manila police and their families to have access to more affordable rice, noodles and similar basic food items.
She also ordered Razon to work on the putting up of an MPD quarters at the back of the MPD headquarters where the members of the Manila police could stay. (JMR/Sunnex)
