PNP, NBI TO BE STRENGTHENED BY CYBERCRIME LAW

Senator Edgardo J. Angara is pushing for the passage of Senate Bill No. 2796 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act to bolster the capacity of the country's two main law enforcement agencies, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Angara said enacting the measure will facilitate the allotment of more funds for the PNP and the NBI for training and equipment to deal with tech-heavy crimes.

"We have many outstanding PNP and NBI officers who are willing and able to fight crime, whether physical or digital," said Angara. "We simply need to provide legislative backing that defines cybercrime and creates a body to coordinate such investigations."

The Cybercrime Prevention Act provides for the establishment of a Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center under the Office of the President which will be tasked to formulate and implement a national cyber security plan.

"The measure does not in any way aim to hamper liberty and freedom of expression on the internet," clarified Angara, chair of the Congressional Commission on Science, Technology and Engineering (COMSTE). "Its aim is to provide legal basis for the prosecution of online offenses that threaten our security."

Among the punishable acts under the bill are illegal access, computer-related fraud and child pornography.

"The nature of cybercrime does not fall solely under the jurisdiction of only one body. As such, the passage of the bill is also expected to encourage cooperation between various government agencies," Angara concluded.