ANGARA JOINS CALLS TO ALLOW WIRETAPPING IN DRUG CASES

Senator Sonny Angara on Thursday has expressed his support to authorize wiretapping in drug cases for a more effective crackdown on the illegal drug trade.

Angara is one of the authors in the Senate of a bill seeking to relax the Anti-Wiretapping Law or Republic Act 4200 and allow wiretapping in cases involving violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act (RA 9165).

"Sa lawak ng problema sa droga sa bansa, napapanahon na para gawing legal ang wiretapping upang mas mapadali ang paghuli sa mga taong sangkot sa sindikato ng droga," said Angara who filed Senate Bill 950.

The senator said wiretapping has been proven effective in leading to some of the largest drug busts in other countries.

He earlier cited the case of Christopher "Dudus" Coke, a Jamaican who is known as one of the world's most dangerous drug lords, wherein authorities were able to use his bugged phone conversations with high officials and politicians of Jamaica, in which they were discussing the smuggling of marijuana, cocaine and weapons, to further the case against him.

"Nauna nang pinangalanan ni Pangulong Duterte ang ilan sa mga matataas na opisyal na umano'y sangkot sa ilegal na droga, pero maraming iba pa sa ngayon ang hindi pa tuwirang tinutukoy. Sa tulong ng wiretapping, mas matutunton ng ating mga kapulisan kung sinu-sino talaga ang mga sangkot sa droga lalo na yung mga nasa posisyon at magagamit ito bilang konkretong ebidensya laban sa kanila," Angara said.

The lawmaker, however, stressed that due process should be observed and proper safeguards must be put in place to protect the rights of every Filipino.