Information Security News: Gov't, private sector revive push for RP cybercrime law

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://technology.inquirer.net/infotech/infotech/view_article.php?article_id=96490

By Erwin Oliva
INQUIRER.net
10/24/2007

MANILA, Philippines -- Information and Internet security experts from 
the private sector and some government representatives are making 
another push for the revival of a cybercrime law in the country, 
according to a director of a local group advocating a more secure 
Internet in the country.

Among the groups supporting the cybercrime bill are the Philippine 
Certified Information Systems Security Professionals of the Philippines 
(PH-CISSP), the Information Systems Audit and Control Association 
(ISACA), the Philippine Software Industry Association (PSIA), the 
Philippine Computer Society (PCS) and the Information Systems Security 
Society of the Philippines (ISSSP), said Albert dela Cruz, director of 
the Philippine Computer Emergency Response Team (PH-CERT) and currently 
platform strategy manager at Microsoft Philippines, in an interview.

> From the government side, the Department of Justice (DoJ), the 
Commission on Information and Communications Technology (CICT), the 
National Computer Center (NCC), the Philippine National Police (PNP) and 
the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) are extending their support.

"As you know we've been at it for more than seven years or even longer. 
I've lost count. We never made it past plenary of the House of 
Representatives. Now, with the DOJ and renewed support from the CICT, we 
hope that they make this a priority measure," he added.

Dela Cruz said that a two-day workshop will be conducted this week to 
gather all inputs from different stakeholders before the bill is 
endorsed to Congress. Lawmakers were also invited to attend the event, 
including Catanduanes Representative Joseph Santiago, chairman of the 
House committee on information and communications technology.

The workshop is organized by the DOJ, the CICT and the Council of 
Europe, in cooperation with Microsoft Philippines, the Microsoft 
executive said.

For years, various sectors have been lobbying for a cybercrime law in 
the country. Dela Cruz said the cybercrime bill aims strengthen and 
align the country's laws on cyber security and protection, while also 
creating international cooperation among other countries considering 
that cybercrime is a global phenomenon.

The proposed cybercrime law adopts the same principles stated in an 
international guideline discussed during the Budapest Convention on the 
Council of Europe in 2001, he said.

The Budapest guideline offers a strategy for the development of a 
national legislation and a framework for international cooperation 
against cybercrime.

"We want to be part of the Europen Union Cybercrime Treaty. To 
effectively combat cybercrime across borders and jurisdiction a common 
law (similar laws individually) or a treaty needs to be in place. And to 
be able to sign the treaty, we have to pass a bill that is in consonance 
with the prescription of the treaty," Dela Cruz added.

Representatives of the Council of Europe are expected to join the 
workshop in Manila, he added.


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