BY VICTOR REYES

THE Armed Forces yesterday batted for the national identification system which was shot down by the Supreme Court during the Ramos administration.

The military made the recommendation to President Arroyo during a command conference in Camp Aguinaldo. The President directed the defense department to study the military’s proposal.

The conference, attended by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, AFP chief Gen. Hermogenes Esperon Jr., top military commanders and PNP chief Avelino Razon, tackled internal security operations.

"The recommendation for the revival of the national ID system is to accelerate accomplishing the marching orders given to the AFP. The President has directed the DND to conduct a study with the guidance that it should be within the purview of what is lawful," said Lt. Col. Bartolome Bacarro, chief of the AFP public information office,

In 2006, the President directed the Armed Forces to end the insurgency problem before her term ends in 2010. Latest military estimates show the New People’s Army has around 5,760 fighters and 87 guerrilla fronts.

"That recommendation was made by the Armed Forces of the Philippines but we would like to highlight that it is subject to a very tedious study (by the DND) that it should be within the purview of the law," Bacarro said.

Asked if it was Esperon who made the recommendation, Bacarro said: "No. It was brought out by the AFP, not necessarily by General Esperon."

Bacarro declined to discuss details of the military proposal. He also refused to say when the military wants the system implemented.

Razon said government is thinking the system would be "based" on the Social Security System or PhilHealth identification cards, among others.

"The concentration is not on a security concern but on government service that will be provided like PhilHealth, SSS, among others... We should really establish an ID system and the people should not be scared of this," he said.

Razon said a national ID system would also help in the fight against criminality.

He said the ID system would be adopted as soon as possible so that insurgents, terrorists, criminal elements could not hide behind the cloak of anonymity.

The ID, he said, would contain the name, picture, address, and age, among others, of the holder.

He expressed optimism no one would oppose the measure as he said no one is opposing the drivers license ID, PhilHealth and SSS IDs.

A national ID system was first proposed in 1996 under Administrative Order 308 issued by former President Ramos. Two years later, the Supreme Court declared AO 308 unconstitutional as it said it "pressures the people to surrender their privacy by giving information about themselves on the pretext that it will facilitate delivery of basic services."

In April 2005, Arroyo issued Executive Order No. 420 implementing a national ID system for government agencies and government-owned and controlled corporations. The system aims to unify and consolidate all the ID systems used in government and in transacting business with government agencies like the Social Security System, the Government Service Insurance System, the Philippine Health Insurance and Land Transportation Office, among others, into a single ID card.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of EO 420 in April 2006. Those who opposed Arroyo’s issuance said it was a mere revival of Ramos’ AO 308.

Last August, Muntinlupa Rep. Rufino Biazon filed a bill on the implementation of the national ID system, which covers all persons aged 18 years old and above.

‘SYSTEMS ANALYSIS’ STAGE

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno expressed skepticism a single national ID card would materialize this year.

"We will do first a review of what the status is because we want to presume that they are up to date but if they are not, that is when we would figure out what we need to do," he said.

Puno said the National Economic Development Authority was tasked two years ago to look into the possible consolidation of all the ID systems.

"I think it’s still at that stage of systems analysis on the consolidation of all identification files…So if you are going to judge it by systems requirements, it would take some time before that study can be completed. It’s very difficult to do that," Puno said.

NOT NEW

After the tribunal upheld EO 420, then planning secretary Romulo Neri said the implementing rules on the "government national ID system" would be effective Jan. 24, 2006.

Neri also said the government ID system contains information like the ID holder’s name, birthday, residence, parents’ name, and marital status. "Sensitive information" like criminal records is not included.

Puno said the national ID system is not new. He said the Local Government Code requires barangay secretaries to have the full identification of their residents.

"This is in the law that was passed in 1991… The problem is it has never been implemented. There have been some discussions on this… but that is not a new idea, it is a statutory obligation of all barangays to complete an identification system," he said.

ACCELERATE MOMENTUM

The command conference also tackled amendments to the Human Security Act. Razon said it was proposed that mere possession of explosives be made a non-bailable offense.

Bacarro said the President was given a briefing on the military’s campaign against threat groups. He said the President directed the AFP to "accelerate its momentum of successes against threats to national security."

He said the President was informed that the strength of the NPA which is down by 20 percent compared to end 2006.

On the Abu Sayyaf, Bacarro said the military neutralized 69 Abu Sayyaf terrorists last year, reducing their number to only about 383 as of December 2007 compared to the previous year’s 452. He said military operations have "contained" the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu.

Apart from accelerating the momentum of the campaign against the threat groups, Bacarro said the President issued four other directives "that set the tone on how the Armed Forces of the Philippines would carry out its marching orders of defeating the CPP/NPA/NDF by 2010."

The four are conduct of humanitarian offensives in conflict areas; adherence to human rights; to remain united and steadfast to their sworn duties; and joint military and PNP efforts.

Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said the President ordered Teodoro to ensure that the military maintains its thrust against communist terrorist activities, and that its thrust should support national development. – With Jocelyn Montemayor