Mindanaotoday.com | Anti-cybercrime ops in NorMin up 260%
By: Uriel Quilinguing
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Twenty-one warrants of arrest were served, eight individuals were entrapped, and seven persons were rescued from suspected cyber-criminals in Northern Mindanao within the first six months this year, the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU-10) said Monday, September 5.
Lt. Col. Lemuel B. Gonda, RACU-10 acting chief, said their 36 anti-cybercrime operations during the first semester was a 260-percent improvement of their performance over that of the same period in 2021.
Gonda, in an in-person forum at a restaurant in Cagayan de Oro with Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) community members, said they ranked second among 24 anti-cybercrime units across the country, behind RACU-7 Cebu City which posted 48 operations.
RACU-10 was 7th first semester last year with 10 anti-cybercrime operations.
The RACU-10 head advised the LGBTQ members to be mindful of the three elements of crime –
motive or intent, instrumentality, and opportunity – and for them to deprive would-be cybercriminals of the chance to actualize their objective and of the tools these likely perpetrators would exploit.
“Take out the opportunity to prevent the crime (from being perpetrated) and avoid becoming a victim,” Gonda said, adding that cybercriminals would always find a way to generate personal information.
He said vital data could be generated from personal computers, smartphones, lost wallets, payment processors, lending institutions, and government agencies.
He discussed the salient provisions of the Anti-Cybercrime Law of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10175) which took effect three years later, after the lifting of a temporary restraining order and the approval of implementing rules and regulations.
The RACU-10 head said Section 6 of R.A. 10175 stipulated that all crimes, defined and penalized under the Revised Penal Code, as amended, committed by, through and with the use of information and communication technologies are cybercrimes.
Gonda said that these cybercrimes are offenses against confidentiality, integrity, and availability of computer data and systems – illegal access and interceptions, data interference, misuse of devices and cyber-squatting.
These cybercrimes, he said, may also be computer-related offenses such as forgery fraud, and identity theft, as well as content-related offenses which include cybersex, child pornography, and libel.
Those convicted of these cybercrimes may be fined between P200 thousand to P500 thousand or imprisoned from six to 12 years, or both, depending on the gravity of the offense or offenses, as provided for by R.A. 10175.
“Always bear in mind our slogan: Think before you click,” Gonda told the more than 20 participants from Glamour CDO Inc., a federation of seven LGBTQ groups under the leadership of Lindelle “Barbie” Neri.
Lawyer Jerome Asuga, National Police Commission-10 (NAPOLCOM-10) regional director, said they organized four crime-prevention fora as their contribution to the 37th National Crime Prevention Week, September 1 to 7.
“We realized that (in recent years) gender sensitivity is being directed to the LGBTQ sector,” Asuga said in his welcome remarks, adding that there must be levelling up with LGBTQ members beyond gender issues but as human beings.
Aside from the LGBTQ sector, NAPOLCOM-10 had cybercrime awareness discussions with students of El Salvador Colleges (in-person) and of the Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology, Tangub City (virtual), and leaders from 15 villages of Cagayan de Oro. (MT)
###