The governor said it is about time to create public awareness on how to stay safe online by means of addressing the growing concerns on cyber crime as more Filipinos continue to embrace information and communication technology.
Pineda said the majority of Kapampangans were still unaware of cyber crime and the threats it posed as she stressed that the anti-cyber crime summit is of utmost important.
“It will raise awareness on how the public can protect themselves from cyber crimes,” the governor said.
The anti-cyber crime summit was conceptualised in a meeting with Governor Pineda on Monday at the Capitol attended by Police Senior Superintendent Edwin C. Roque, director of PNP-ACG, Police Senior Inspector Levy Lozada, chief of Digital Forensic, Police Senior Superintendent John Atela, Police Senior Superintendent Christopher Birung, Police Superintendent Elbert Pagente, Police Senior Superintendent Arnel Escobal, PNP-ACG deputy director and Police Senior Superintendent Rickson Saavedra, chief of NLFU.
Pineda said the anti-cyber crime summit will be carried out by the PNP ACG, provincial government, stakeholders such as school teachers, principals, barangay officials and tanod, health workers, concerned non-government organizations, youth sector, among others.
Saavedra said the summit comes at a time when the country is experiencing a high rate of Internet adoption, with more Filipinos incorporating internet use in several aspects, including financial services, business transactions, and data management, among other services.
In a radio program, ”Pampanga Mabuhay Ka” aired at RW 95.1 FM, Police Superintendent Ma Ivy Castillo, PNP-ACG assistant chief said the anti-cyber crime law penalizes online libel, computer hacking, illegal access, illegal interception, data interference, misuse of devices, cyber squatting, computer related fraud, computer related identity theft, cyber sex, child pornography.
Castillo said the law penalizes online and cyber libel committed only by the original author of the post, however, those who simply receive the post and react to it will not be penalized.
She said the PNP-ACG is committed to fighting cyber crime in the province and ensuring that Kapampangans and the Filipinos as a whole are safe but at the same time urged them to be vigilant and take preventive measures such as secure passwords.
She explained that hackers include anyone who seeks to exploit weaknesses in a computer system or computer network for malicious reasons such as profit.
“Cyber attacks to specific sectors such as mobile money transfer can be disastrous to the national economy,” she added.
