Comelec to report data leaks to privacy body

RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

MANILA - The Commission on Elections will comply with the requirement to report to the National Privacy Commission any breaches of data privacy in connection with the so-called "Comeleaks."

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the commission en banc is preparing a report for the privacy body after voter data of some 55 million registered voters was leaked to the Internet. 

"The en banc has already identified who will write the report. It is now being finalized, hopefully it will be released today," he said in Filipino. 

Unidentified hackers earlier leaked data stolen from the Comelec website last month.

The leaked data included names, addresses, birthdays and civil status of millions of voters. 

IT groups earlier expressed shock over the data leakage, saying the poll body could face charges over the breach. 

Data leak of voter info shocks IT experts

The Data Privacy Act required custodians of personal data like the Comelec to report any breaches in data privacy to the privacy commission for proper action.

Meanwhile, Comelec Commissionner Rowena Guazon told ABS-CBN the en banc session also tackled the operational budget for the task force on the Comelec's website as well as the exemption to the ban on expenditure of some local government units. 

Guanzon said Comelec approved the exemption from the expenditure ban of local government units suffering from the El Nino phenomenon so they can get additional funds.