Joey Asks SC to Stop ‘Surveillance, Harassment’

Joey files writ of habeas data vs AFP, PNP, Abalos, JPE

Businessman Joey de Venecia III today filed a petition for writ of
habeas data before the Supreme Court to unearth all activities by the
military, the police, former Comelec Chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. and
Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to illegally wiretap his phone conversations.

In his petition, Joey also asked the Supreme Court to order the AFP
and the PNP and other government agencies to stop any surveillance activity
against and stop harassing him and other personalities involved in the Senate
expose of the controversial NBN-ZTE deal.

Joey also asked the SC to stop Enrile from airing any supposed
wiretapped conversation between him and other personalities as this violates
his right to privacy and laws against electronic eavesdropping.

The businessman filed the petition in the aftermath of the uploading in
the popular website YouTube of supposed phone conversations between him
and other personalities, including Lozada and Abalos.

He recalled that Abalos had angrily revealed to him that the ex-
Comelec chair listened to wiretapped conversations between him and his co-
workers in Amsterdam Holdings, Inc. discussing De Venecia’s apprehension
over the $130 million kickback sought by Abalos from Chinese firm ZTE
Corp. for brokering the $329-million contract for the government’s National
Broadband Network (NBN) project and the $10-million bribe offer made by
Abalos to him.

Joey told the Supreme Court that the uploading of the supposed phone
conversations in YouTube confirmed to him Abalos’ statement to him about
the wiretapping activity.

He also noted that Enrile, in one of the last Senate hearings on the
anomalous NBN-ZTE deal, threatened to air De Vencia’s alleged phone
conversation with former co-workers in AHI.

The businessman appealed to the High Court to order the AFP, its
Intelligence Service (ISAFP), the PNP, Abalos and Enrile to turn over all
records of wiretapped conversations to the court and stop all their electronic
surveillance against him.

Joey also asked the SC to order the filing of necessary charges against
those involved in the electronic eavesdropping for violating Republic Act
No. 4200 or the Anti-Wiretapping Act.

RA 4200 punishes anyone involved in illegal wiretapping with
imprisonment of six months to six years and perpetual disqualification from
public office.

“ … respondents’ collective actions constitute unwarranted intrusions
on petitioner’s right to security and privacy. It should be noted that the
circulation of supposed wiretapped materials purportedly bearing
petitioner’s conversations with other persons signifies the blatant and
unjustified incursion on petitioner’s private communication,” Joey said in
his petition.

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