BEWARE: PHILIPPINE CYBERCRIME LAW COVERS TEXT MESSAGES, SAYS
LAWMAKER
MANILA,
OCTOBER 1, 2012 (INQUIRER) By Allan Nawal, Germelina Lacorte Inquirer Mindanao -
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Before you shoot off that text message to anyone, make
sure it is not derogatory.
This, in essence, was the warning of Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño
when he said that the cybercrime law, or Republic Act 10175, not only curtails
the right of Internet users but also of cellphone users.
"Because it covers text messages and calls as well," Casiño said in a
statement e-mailed to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The militant lawmaker said section 3c of the cybercrime law covers any medium
of ICT media, including voice, video, and other forms of data.
Section 3d, he added, defines computers and computer system as "any type of
computer device, including devices with data processing capabilities like mobile
phones, smartphones, computer networks and other devices connected to the
Internet."
"This practically means that communications and data on any type of phone or
ICT device are covered by this very repressive law," Casiño said.
He said candidates who might try to put down an opponent via text messages,
could find themselves in trouble.
"This means if I text my friends that a certain candidate is a 'cheap,
second-rate, trying-hard copycat,' that person can haul me to court for
violating the cybercrime law and have me locked up for 10 years," Casiño said.
He said that while the case may not prosper, "the mere possibility that one
can be charged for online libel is enough to silence ordinary people and stop
them from expressing critical ideas."
ICT industry players in Davao City could not agree more.
Samuel Matunog, vice president of the Davao ICT Inc., said the law can also
potentially kill the bullish ICT sector.
Matunog said Section 19 of the cybercrime law, which allows the Department of
Justice to shut down or block access to a computer data, if found to be
violating the act, can potentially bring millions of damage to the industry.
"What if malicious pranksters will just lodge unfounded complaints? Before we
know it, our computers are already blocked," Matunog said.
He said that instead of trying to kill the industry, lawmakers should have
passed a law that would help it grow more.
"We are the world's number one texting capital, and the world's
fastest-growing site for BPOs, we need laws that will encourage creativity among
the young," Matunog said.
Hackers of gov't websites known – De Lima By Tetch
Torres INQUIRER.net 3:03 pm | Monday, October 8th, 2012
MANILA, Philippines—The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has
already pinpointed personalities involved in defacing government websites, said
Justice Secretary Leila de Lima (photo at right) Monday.
"As of last week, some personalities were identified. Is it just for fun…or
were they wittingly violating the law? Those who are involved in hacking will be
pinned down. Is this a loose group or loosely formed group…?" De Lima told
reporters Monday.
Hacktivists have been defacing government websites in protest of President
Benigno Aquino III's approval of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention
Act of 2012.
Some of the government websites defaced include the Official Gazette under
the Office of the President, Senate and Congress' website, Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas, among others.
Palace appeals to hackers to cease attacks By TJ
Burgonio Philippine Daily Inquirer 7:31 am | Sunday, October 7th, 2012
[PHOTO -President Benigno Aquino's spokeswoman Abigail Valte. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO]
MANILA, Philippines—Malacañang on Saturday appealed to hackers protesting the
controversial cybercrime law to stop their attacks on government websites,
particularly those agencies that provide disaster data and advice online to the
public.
"I don't want to say it but let us please put our opposition in the right
place because there's a sober way of discussing this," Undersecretary Abigail
Valte, deputy presidential spokesperson, said over government radio dzRB.
Valte said netizens should find a peaceful means to protest the Cybercrime
Prevention Act instead of resorting to cyberattacks.
The new law has sparked a storm of protests from critics who say it will
severely curb Internet freedoms and intimidate netizens into self-censorship.
Weeks after Republic Act No. 10175 was signed into law on Sept. 12, the
government continued to reel from the hacking of websites of several agencies,
jeopardizing otherwise crucial online services.
Among those hacked were the websites and social media accounts of the weather
bureau, the earthquake and tsunami monitoring service and the social welfare
agency.
Valte did not disclose the extent of the damage.
"Many people are being affected by this," she said.
"We are aware of the opposition to the Cybercrime Prevention Act. There are
other ways to express opposition to it," she said.
One of the law's most controversial provisions mandates much longer jail
sentences for people who post defamatory comments online than those who commit
libel in traditional media.
It also allows the government to monitor online activities, such as e-mail,
video chats and instant messaging without a warrant, and to close down websites
it deems to be involved in criminal activities.
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions to have the law declared illegal. With
an AFP report
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved
PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS
ONLINE [PHNO] WEBSITE
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/phnotweet
This is the PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE (PHNO) Mailing List.
To stop receiving our news items, please send a blank e-mail addressed to: phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
Please visit our homepage at: http://www.newsflash.org/
(c) Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
-------------------------------------------------------------Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/phno/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
phno-digest@yahoogroups.com
phno-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
phno-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
PH Headline News Online. Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved