87 percent internet users in the country fall to cybercrimes
By Jason de Asis
 
SENATE OFFICE, Manila, February 5, 2011-Senator Edgardo J. Angara bares that leading security software firm Symantec has reported that 87 percent of Filipino Internet users have fallen victim to cybercrimes which include hacking, identity theft, spamming, phishing, malicious software and even sexual predation.

During his keynote address at the 2nd International Conference on Cybercrime yesterday, Angara reported that there are nearly 30 million Internet users in the country and it is expected to continue growing due to the increasing availability of infrastructure, especially mobile internet, and deepening of social media penetration.
 
Angara has introduced the Cybercrime Prevention Bill (CPB) to empower authorities versus offenses and violators online, saying that access today in the modern world become the most indispensable technology and is crucial because it also gives rise to a diverse host of evolving threats that require radical solutions.

The Senator urged the government and the people to work together in the 2nd International Conference on Cybercrime, held at the Mandarin Hotel in Makati to solve cybercrime in the country the Senator authored Senate bill No. 52 in order to deter cybercrime by imposing prison time and heavy fines of at least P200,000, adding that the CBP also seeks wide international cooperation to investigate and prosecute cybercrimes.

He said that to address the rapidly changing cybercrime industry and ensure that ICT is maximized for the benefit of society more than anything else, there is a need for more dynamic solutions, stressing that jurisdiction is one of the most critical aspects of cybercrimes, requiring collaboration within a government and among governments.
 
Angara warned that cybercrime is a silent epidemic that we cannot sufficiently address through existing law enforcement tools. (Jason de Asis)
 
Senator Edgardo J. Angara standing as keynote speaker at the 2nd International Conference on Cybercrime held at the Mandarin Hotel where he urged the government and the people to work together in solving cybercrime in the country. (Jason de Asis)

Photo shows Senator Angara and Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila de Lima at the 2nd International Conference on Cybercrime, a joint project by the DOJ and the Commission on Information and Communications Technology. (Jason de Asis)