Bills penalizing cybercrime acts opposed

A legislator strongly criticized the proposed cybercrime bills in Congress saying these will only provide law enforcement authorities with opportunities to intrude into the private communications of individuals.

The House Committee on Information and Communications Technology has started deliberations on a number of House bills defining and proposing penalties for “cybercrime”, including those field by Representatives Sonny Angara (Aurora) and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (Pampanga).

“The inviolability of private communications and correspondence is guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, and may only be violated by the State in exceptional circumstances,” ACT Teachers party-list Representative Antonio Tinio said.

“In this day and age, when internet and mobile technologies are increasingly becoming indispensable means of communication, the constitutional guarantee on the inviolability of private communication and correspondence must be extended to communications in cyberspace, which not only includes email but also private communications using such services as Facebook, Twitter, Skype, numerous instant messaging or ‘chat’ services, and other online activities of individuals,” said Tinio.

Tinio added existing legislation sets a high bar for authorizing government surveillance on private communications.

By Kathrina Alvarez