The Department of Justice (DOJ) said on Friday, June 13, that the City Prosecutor of Las Pinas has filed the first case for violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
“We expect more that more cases on cybercrime such as thus will be filed in our prosecution offices. The DOJ is committed in capacitating our investigators and prosecutors to utilize modern technology anchored on electronic evidence,” stated DOJ secretary Leila de Lima.
In a resolution approved by City Prosecutor Marylin Cynthia Fatima Madamba-Luang, Assistant City Prosecutor Sylvia Inciso-Butial recommended that two counts of computer-related forgery be filed at the Las Pinas Regional Trial Court for the alleged fraudulent transactions of the respondents, which were facilitated with the use of information and communications technology.
It was alleged, among others, that the complainant discovered unauthorized transactions, two of which pertain to the remittances which the respondent made using her ATM card.
Computer-related forgery covers the act of knowingly using computer data which is the product of computer-related forgery for the purpose of perpetuating a fraudulent or dishonest design.
Docketed as Criminal Case Nos. 14-0426-27, the case is the first reported under the Cybercrime Prevention Act after the Supreme Court’s decision on the validity of the said law last February.
Moving forward, the Office of Cybercrime (OOC) shall monitor this case. We will also implement a national training program for cybercrime personnel in preparation for this emerging threat,” said DOJ assistant secretary Geronimo Sy, head of the OOC.
Prosecutors in the National Capital Region are expected to be the first participants in July 2014.
