CCTV na nakatutok sa bakuran ng kapitbahay, bawal!

Dr. Persida V. Rueda-Acosta / Magtanong Kay Attorney

Dear Chief Acosta, Last week, nagpakabit ng Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) camera ang kapitbahay namin sa third floor ng kanilang bahay pero napansin ko na nakatutok ito sa bakuran namin kaya posibleng nakikita nila ang lahat ng aming ginagawa. Nais kong malaman kung may karapatan ako na ipaalis o ipatutok sa ibang direksiyon ang nasabing CCTV? - Caloy

Dear Caloy, Ang batas na sumasaklaw sa inyong katanungan ay ang Section 26 ng Civil Code of the Philippines kung saan nakasaad na obligasyon ng bawat tao na irespeto ang karapatan ng kapwa sa pampribadong pamumuhay:

“Art. 26. Every person shall respect the dignity, personality, privacy and peace of mind of his neighbors and other persons. The following and similar acts, though they may not constitute a criminal offense, shall produce a cause of action for damages, prevention and other relief:

1. Prying into the privacy of another’s residence; xxx.” Ang nasabing batas ay kinatigan ng Korte Suprema sa kaso ng Spouses Bill and Victoria vs. Alexander Choachuy et.al. (G.R. No. 179736, 26 June 2013) na isinulat ni Mahistrado Mariano C. del Castillo kung saan nakasaad ang mga sumusunod:

“After careful consideration, there is basis to grant the application for a temporary restraining order. The operation by respondents of a revolving camera, even if it were mounted on their building, violated the right of privacy of petitioners, who are the owners of the adjacent lot. The camera does not only focus on respondents’ property or the roof of the factory at the back (Aldo Development and Resources, Inc.) but it actually spans through a good portion of the land of petitioners.

Based on the ocular inspection, the court understands why petitioner Hing was so unyielding in asserting that the revolving camera was set up deliberately to monitor the on[-]going construction in his property. The monitor showed only a portion of the roof of the factory of Aldo. If the purpose of respondents in setting up a camera at the back is to secure the building and factory premises, then the camera should revolve only towards their properties at the back. Respondents’ camera cannot be made to extend the view to petitioners’ lot. To allow the respondents to do that over the objection of the petitioners would violate the right of petitioners as property owners. “The owner of a thing cannot make use thereof in such a manner as to injure the rights of a third person.” (Binigyang-diin)

Samakatwid, karapatan ng kahit sino ang maglagay ng camera sa kanilang ari-arian ngunit, hindi ito dapat nakatutok sa bakuran ng ibang tao na maaaring makaapekto sa kanilang karapatan para sa pribadong pamumuhay.

Maliwanag na ang pagtutok ng camera sa bakuran ng kapitbahay ay nagdudulot ng panghihimasok sa privacy ng mga tao sa nasabing bakuran na mariing ipinagbabawal ng batas.

Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong mga katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyong ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyong ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa isang abogado.