PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. wants his cybercops to be more active this year in waging a war against high-tech criminals using social media and other online platforms to hit their targets.

“It will be a busy year for us. As I have said during our first command conference, we will focus our efforts more on cybercrimes. We will continue to be relentless, especially in conducting countermeasures on crimes committed in cyberspace,” the top cop told his officials during their traditional New Year’s Call on him last Friday.

Gen. Azurin has given the main responsibility to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or PNP-ACG headed by Brigadier Gen. Joel B. Doria. “I call for everyone’s cooperation especially our cybercops to intensify our cyber patrolling on social media and other online platforms” the PNP chief said.

He added that they are looking forward with confidence and optimism that the PNP is now better prepared, equipped and more confident to face the challenges that 2023 may bring.

The top PNP official underscored the fact that they have greatly improved their ‘move, shoot, communicate and investigate’ capabilities’ to ensure that all police functions are carried out efficiently and effectively. One of the major beneficiaries of the PNP modernization program is the PNP-ACG which now has its own modern building inside Camp Crame.

Gen. Azurin ordered the stepped-up crackdown against cybercrimes which he described as a major threat to the country’s security. Most common among internet crimes are fraud, sexual abuse including the so-called ‘sextortion,’ bullying and identity theft.

“This year, the PNP shall focus on cybercrimes since it is now the fastest growing transnational organized crimes which affect hundreds of victims not only in the Philippines but in other parts of the world. It is one of the greatest threats to million users of cyber space who have entrusted their personal data online,” the PNP chief said.

Gen. Azurin gave the main task to the PNP-ACG which last year scored a significant accomplishment in the crackdown against cybercriminals especially those involved in online scams which have victimized a big number of Filipinos.

“Our outlook way forward in 2023 will largely involve further enhancement of anti-criminality capacity thru SMART Policing or Secured, Mobile, Artificial Intelligence-Driven, Realtime Technology, a strategic approach that incorporates more “science” into police operations by leveraging innovative applications of analysis, technology, and evidence-based practices,” Gen. Azurin said.

Official PNP-ACG records showed that in 2022, it scored an 85.13 percent Crime Clearance Efficiency and a 78.27 percent Crime Solution Efficiency compared to its 35.91 percent CCE and 31.81 percent CSE in 2021.

It also filed 1,111 criminal cases against arrested cybercrime law offenders , 158 of them thru inquest proceedings and 953 thru regular filing in court.

From January 1 to December 31, 2022, the PNP-ACG also conducted 738 operations or an increase or 297 or 67.37 percent from the 297 it conducted during the same period in 2021.

The PNP-ACG operations last year led to the arrest of 945 cybercrime offenders or 414 more or a 77.97 percent increase compared to the 531 apprehensions it made in 2021.

Its records showed that in 2022, the unit served 29 Warrants to Search, Seize and Examine Computer Data compared to only 11 in 2021; served 331 warrants of arrest last year compared to the 135 in 2021; and conducted 255 entrapment operations in 2022 compared to the 168 in 2021.

The PNP-ACG likewise provided 123 technical assistance to other PNP units last year.

The past year also saw the PNP-ACG accounting for 19 Most Wanted Persons and 312 Other Wanted Persons or a total of 331 persons who were already the subject of warrants of arrest issued by different regional trial courts across the country.

Among its most significant accomplishments in 2022 were the arrest of 83 online lending employees in Manila who were found sending threats to their clients who have failed to pay their debts on time, the arrest of two suspects in the rampant selling of SIM card with GCash verified account; the arrest of six persons over their involvement in ‘E-Sabong’ in Pasig City; and the arrest of a number of foreigners and their local contacts for involvement in the so-called ‘Love Scam.’

The PNP-ACG also intensified its monitoring of E-Sabong websites on orders of Gen. Azurin and Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin ‘Benhur’ C. Abalos Jr. last year. As a result, it managed to block 96 websites and sought the deactivation of 32 others.

The unit also conducted five anti-E-Sabong operations which resulted in the arrest of 19 suspects.

The PNP-ACG is one of the law enforcement units principally tasked to enforce Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. The law punishes a number of cybercrime offenses including illegal access, illegal interception, data and system interference, misuse of devices and cyber-squatting which are against the confidentiality, integrity and availability of computer data and systems.

It also punishes computer-related offenses such as computer-related forgery, fraud and identity theft and content-related offenses like cybersex, child pornography and libel.

Under the law, the minimum penalty for any person found guilty of committing any of the punishable acts enumerated under RA 10175 is imprisonment of prision mayor or a fine of at least P200,000 or both.

The penalty for an individual offender could go as much as P500,000 and a much longer prison term depending on the gravity of the offense.