THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency on Sunday threw its support to the proposal of Senator Panfilo Lacson to amend the anti-wire tapping law to help enhance its capability to go after drug lords.
Director General Isidro Lapeña welcomed Lacson’s bill amending Republic Act 4200, or the Act to Prohibit and Penalize Wire Tapping and Other Related Violations of the Privacy of Communication and for Other Purposes.
Lacson authored Senate Bill 48 that will authorize wire-tapping in cases involving violations of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
“The proposed bill, if approved, would allow wiretapping on suspected big-time drug lords to intercept and record their criminal communications that can be used as evidence against them,” Lapeña said.
“Though there is a conflict in the invasion of citizen’s privacy of communication and abuse of authority—issues that stall the eventual passage of the bill into law, it will give PDEA and other drug law enforcement agencies additional investigative and judicial tools to reach the structure and hierarchy of drug-trafficking organizations and finally bring them to justice.”
