Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach took to social media to stand up against the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and media outlet’s action to disclose the HIV status of a drug suspect after being nabbed in a raid at a hotel in Taguig.
The beauty queen, who is also a Goodwill Ambassador of the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), said it was unnecessary to bare the identities of the men and publicly shame them.
“PDEA and local news outlets decided to expose the identities of these men to the media. Their mugshots, names, and the HIV status of one of them were released. Was this really necessary,” Wurtzbach wrote in her Instagram post.
“What has been done has not only traumatized the men that were involved; it has also worsened the HIV situation in the Philippines,” she added.
Wurtzbach cited Republic Act 8504, saying that it’s “illegal to publicly announce once’s HIV status.”
Under this act, a person’s HIV status is confidential except in specific medical situations and if subject to a subpoena from a court. Those who violate this may be penalized with a penalty of imprisonment for six months to four years as well as fines.
A post shared by Pia Wurtzbach | Miss Universe (@piawurtzbach) on
Meanwhile, after receiving the same sentiments from lawmakers, PDEA on Wednesday apologized to the public for violating the suspect’s right to privacy.
“PDEA has expressed regret in the inadvertent mention during a recent press conference that one of the suspects, though his identity was withheld, is infected with HIV.
“We may have gone overboard by violating his right to privacy,” said PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino in a statement.
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