Robredo expresses concern over stolen passport data, wants case filed vs contractor

Vice President Leni Robredo said she wants the government to hold the former passport maker be accountable for stealing the public's data.
The STAR/Edd Gumban, file

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday expressed concern over the data breach that hit the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In her weekly radio news program, Robredo said the news that the former ousourced passport maker “took all the data” of Filipino passport holders was “scary.”

“Nakakagimbal iyon, at saka nakakatakot (That’s shocking and frightening),” Robredo said on “BISERbisyong LEni.”

She is calling on the government to take action against the former contractor who ran off with the public’s data.

Robredo said she agrees with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon to compel the former contractor to return the data by filing a case against them.

On Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. disclosed on Twitter that the department is “rebuilding” its files “from scratch” after the previous contractor “took all the data when [its] contract [was] terminated.”

Locsin said his agency could not do anything about it because “they are in the wrong.” He, however, vowed that the incident would never happen again.

Despite this, the National Privacy Commission said it would investigate the claim of Locsin.

READ: Privacy body to probe passport data mess

— Rosette Adel

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