Solons to probe financial cybercrime
ALARMED by increasing incidents of attempted cybertheft cases targeting supposedly safe bank deposits, the Senate is mounting an inquiry in aid of crafting remedial legislation to ensure that banks can guarantee stronger cyber security systems.
In filing an enabling resolution to pave the way for the Senate inquiry, Senator Richard J. Gordon emphasized the urgency to assess and update existing measures to effectively address unabated commission of cyber theft cases.
Gordon, chairman of the Senate Justice and Human Rights Committee, filed Senate Resolution (SR) 987 affirming the need for prompt action to “investigate the rising cases of diminishing money from bank accounts of government employees.”
He stressed that the Senate “must spearhead an inquiry in aid of legislation to strengthen existing pertinent legislation on cybersecurity in close cooperation with law enforcement... to adequately protect the Filipino people, particularly those most vulnerable and the financial security of persons and families essentially relying on our collective cybersecurity.”
For instance, Gordon recalled recent reports indicating “an alarming increase in complaints” from Department of Education employees about unauthorized withdrawals from their payroll accounts in Land Bank of the Philippines.
The Senator cited a report that both teaching and non-teaching personnel alike reported that their hard-earned money was being reduced, while disputing that they were victims of a so-called “phishing” scam. Phishing is defined as the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information such as passwords or credit card numbers.
Gordon also cited Benjo Basas, chairman of the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition chair, reporting in an interview that 20 teachers and Depatment of Education personnel “reported unauthorized transactions in their Land Bank accounts, with the amount of money lost ranging from P160,000 to P200,000.”
A long-tme lawyer, Gordon reminded that the State is duty-bound to “serve and protect the Filipino people now that criminals are using technology to pilfer from the people’s savings.”
At the same time, he reminded that “the Senate is compelled to act on the vicious commission of cybercrimes against the Filipino people, particularly against teachers and other public servants, private employees, and businesses taking away their hard-earned savings, violating their financial security, assaulting their cybersecurity, and disregarding their rights.”
Moreover, Gordon invoked the Cybercrime Prevention Act, stating that “there is a need to protect and safeguard the integrity of computer and computer systems, networks, and databases from misuse, abuse, and illegal access.”
He recalled that the trade department’s Consumer Protection Group reported that there has been a shocking surge in the number of online transaction complaints, with 10,323 complaints in the first half of 2020.
Gordon recalled that he already aired an alarm on similar incidents against Social Security Service (SSS) members who have been victimized in similar fashion.
Citing the recent incidents, the senator prodded his counterparts in the House of Representatives to frontload passage of an enabling bill mandating subscriber identification module (SIM) card registration.
“Once there is an enabling law that mandates telecom companies to screen and record every SIM card owner’s pertinent details, we can make sure that the numbers linked to crimes will make them responsible under the full extent of the law,” Gordon added.