Marcos tasks PNP to intensify cybersecurity systems

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to intensify its cybersecurity systems by further training personnel and investing in technology, Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos said on Tuesday. 

That's after the police's Anti-Cybercrime Group reported a 12.2% increase in cyber identity theft cases—from 1,402 in 2022 to 1,597 in 2023.

''As we dissected further these crime statistics, there is a need for us to focus on cybercrime – iyon ang nakita natin na medyo tumaas as reported during the last quarter," Abalos said at a Palace presser. 

Pollice data showed that the top cybercrimes include swindling or estafa, illegal access, computer-related identity theft, online Libel, ATM/Credit Card fraud, threat, data interferences, anti-photo and video voyeurism, unjust vexation, and computer-related fraud.

"As instructed by our President, we are intensifying, we are capacitating our police officers on the ground especially as of previously, ang ating cybercrime group is only up to the regional level lang,'' Abalos added. 

''But this time, we are training our personnel and our objective is that down to the police station level/municipal level, we will have police officers who are trained to handle cybercrime or online crimes,'' he added. 

Authorities have said that cyber identity theft occurs when individuals unknowingly share sensitive information through methods like phishing, scams, or downloading malicious software.

The Philippine National Police said that as of 2023, the organization already trained a total of 487 police officers on cybersecurity.

PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr., meanwhile, stressed the need to reinforce public awareness on cybercrimes.

“Dissecting it further ‘yung mga cybercrimes committed, it’s more on online scams. To our appreciation, it’s more of awareness for our mga kababayan or the public about this skimming na ginagawa ng mga kriminal over the internet,” he said.

Acorda acknowledged the role of the SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) Registration Act in establishing the identities of perpetrators.

“Through the SIM card identification, medyo nati-trace natin, nakakatulong sa pagtrace natin sa mga identities ng mga scammers,” he added. —VAL, GMA Integrated News