Comelec chief rapped for ‘Comeleak’

Comelec Chairman Andy Bautista. (Photo: Comelec Commissioner James Jimenez/Twitter)

MANILA—A privacy expert and former national statistician filed an administrative complaint on Friday against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista in connection with the so-called “Comeleak” of voters’ data.

The complaint was filed by Dr. Jose Ramon Albert, senior research fellow of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), against Bautista before the National Privacy Commission (NPC) for alleged violation of Republic Act No.

10173, or the “Data Privacy Act of 2012.”

In the 11-page complaint-affidavit, Albert claimed that the Comelec violated Sections 20 and 21 of R.A. 10173 involving the guarantee on the security in the personal information and principle of accountability.

The complainant claimed that the profile of the voters became “prone” to the hackers due to the failure of the Comelec to make sure that their website has sufficient security.

Albert argued that the officials who were responsible in the hacking incident should be held administratively liable.

The “Comeleak” involved the leaked voters’ data from the hacked website of the Comelec last March wherein the information was posted on the “We Have Your Data Website.”