BACOLOD City – The newly approved law creating a national identification system will be used by President Rodrigo Duterte against those who oppose his administration, a local militant group said.
With the new ID system, it will be easier for state forces to keep an eye on individuals who go against the government, according to Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Negros Island (Bayan-Negros).
The law will be used to “terrorize” civilians perceived as enemies of the Duterte administration, said Christian Tuayon, former secretary-general and now member of Bayan-Negros.
“The national ID system law is one recipe that proves that Duterte is slowly sliding to a dictatorial form of government,” Tuayon added.
Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act of 2018, aims to simplify public and private transactions, its proponents said.
Under the law, all citizens will be provided with a Common Reference Number, which will be contained in an ID card along with essential information such as full name, address, date and place of birth, sex, civil status, signature, date of card issuance, and a recent photo.
Tuayon said the budget for the law’s implementation should be instead used for housing and healthcare services./PN
