Senate takes down impeachment livestream after data privacy concerns

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate took down its livestream of the first half of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial on Friday following concerns about the data privacy of Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officers.

Presiding officer Francis “Chiz” Escudero made a ruling after witness BIR chief of staff Atty. Anne Loraine Garcia-Marquez flagged that the Letters of Authority (LOAs) shown by the defense on-screen contained the names of revenue officers.

“The chair has already ordered the clerk of court to take down the original live stream and re-upload it with the redaction of the names of the revenue officers,” Escudero told the court

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READ: Defense flashes confidential BIR tax audit letters for Duterte, Carpio

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Earlier, Garcia-Marquez stressed that her colleagues’ names should have been redacted from the LOAs prior to its presentation to the court.

Escudero assured the witness and consulted with her prior to the ruling.

In his ruling, he also highlighted the “public nature” of the impeachment trial, stressing that such presentations may “violate some provisions of the Data Privacy Act, as well as the security of certain officials of government engaged in various activities as part of their official functions and duties.”

In addition to taking down the livestream, Escudero told the parties and the media to ensure adherence to the Data Privacy Act.

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“We would like to remind not only Attorney Kristine and the counsels for the respondent, but also the counsel for the prosecution to be careful next time insofar as revealing names or addresses,” Escudero said.

He also reminded the media “to be on the lookout for themselves in relation to the Data Privacy Act in the showing of the original live stream of the Senate proceedings before the impeachment court.” /jpv