Año supports social media monitoring of quarantine violators

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Tuesday he supports the PNP’s (Philippine National Police) plan on social media monitoring to look for quarantine violators.

The DILG chief noted in a television interview that authorities could get information on violations committed by citizens from social media amid the community quarantines imposed nationwide.

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“Yes, actually dati naman nang ginagawa’ yan, karamihan sa start ng investigation natin ay mga report ng concerned citizens sa social media ano, na-highlight lang masyado but talagang ginagawa na natin ‘yan at magandang source of information din ang social media lalo na ‘yung mga nagse-celebrate ng fiesta, nagko-coronation pa sila,” Año told CNN.

“So as much as possible kung aware tayo, at least ‘yung mga tao… hindi na magpo-post ano, hindi na rin sana sila magma-mass gathering,” he added.

Año urged the public to take pictures of individuals who commit quarantine violations. He clarified the police are not violating the rights of citizens when conducting social media monitoring.

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“Kunan niyo ng picture, i-upload niyo at gagawan namin ng aksyon, ‘yun lang talaga eh, kailangan vigilance at cooperation ng bawat isa but we do not infringe on the rights of our people, ‘yun namang social media is for everyone,” he said.

Año supports social media monitoring of quarantine violators

Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the  Joint Task Force COVID Shield, clarified Sunday that the  on quarantine violators would be limited to viral photos and videos and reports from concerned citizens.

Eleazar further explained that police’s social media monitoring would target government officials and prominent personalities who committed quarantine violations.

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“Huwag matakot ang ating mga kababayan kasi alam ninyo, ang natatarget dito, in fact, mga prominent individuals and government officials. Bakit? Dahil sila ay madaling maidentify, nagba-viral sila… at the same time, sila kasi dapat ang nangunguna dito kaya wala dapat ikabahala ang ating mga kababayan,” Eleazar said at a press briefing.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), any form of surveillance, “must be subject to the standards of necessity, legitimacy, and proportionality.”

“Otherwise, violation of these standards, especially if not founded on legal measures, may lead to offenses against the people’s rights. This is a scenario that we wish to avoid, noting that we look upon the police as law enforcers and not as the first ones [to] breach laws,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.