House to fast-track Cybercrimes bill amid hacking of govt sites

The House of Representatives will fast-track the approval of a bill against cybercrimes when it resumes session next week, House leaders said Wednesday. Expressing alarm over the defacement of five government Web sites since December 2009, Speaker Prospero Nograles assured that the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2009, which the chamber approved on second reading last year, would be passed on third and final reading when Congress resumes session. "This is a serious matter that authorities must bond together to eliminate the risk of putting government, or even the private sector, records and information systems and e-transactions in jeopardy," Nograles said in a statement. House Bill 6794 criminalizes illegal access, illegal interception, data interference, system interference and misuse of devices. Also among the computer-related offenses covered by the bill are forgery, computer-related fraud, cybersex, child pornography, unsolicited commercial communications and other offenses such as aiding or abetting the commission of cybercrimes. The National Bureau of Investigation's Anti-fraud and Computer Crimes division is currently investigating the hacking of the Web sites of the Departments of Health, Labor, and Social Welfare; National Disaster Coordinating Council; and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Division chief Palmer Mallari, however, has noted that the absence of a law on cybercrimes prevents them from immediately collecting evidence because the role of Internet service providers and telecommunication firms - which could provide vital information to authorities - in investigations of cybercrimes have not been clearly defined. "With the National Bureau of Investigation now investigating the alleged website hackers, it is imperative for Congress to act on this measure now," said Deputy Speaker Eric Singson, one of the principal authors of HB 6794, in a separate statement. Marikina City Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, another author of the measure, said the bill’s passage was "long overdue." "We should not wait for any grave threat to national security to push for the bill’s approval," added Teodoro. The consecutive defacement of government websites have raised concerns that counting machines that will be used in the automated elections in May would also be hacked, giving way to massive cheating, although Commission on Elections officials have tried to allay such fears. - Johanna Camille Sisante/RSJ/KBK, GMANews.TV