DOJ, bankers boost measures to combat cybercrime

MANILA – The Department of Justice (DOJ) and a bankers’ group will draft a memorandum of understanding (MOU) as part of a consolidated effort to fight online fraud.

DOJ Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC) officer-in-charge lawyer Charito Zamora said pending the approval of the MOU, the agency has been consistently cooperating with the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) through capacity building and public awareness on cybercrime.

“The collaboration eyes achieving the common goal of establishing a collective, coordinated, and strategic cyber response within the banking industry through information sharing and collaboration,” she told reporters via text message on Monday.

“To this end, an MOU between DOJ and BAP is being finalized to establish a formal agreement that would promote a genuine atmosphere of collaboration and alliance through an effective and efficient partnership meant to curb cybercrime and cyber-related offenses nationwide,” she said.

Recently, depositors of a universal bank lost money through an online fraud which involved transfer to another bank, bypassing the security measure of sending a one-time PIN (Personal Identification Number) to the registered mobile number of the account holder.

The bank promised to return their money.

Ramon Jocson, BAP cybersecurity committee vice chair, said in a November report that banking fraud during the pandemic reached PHP1 billion in terms of unauthorized withdrawals and transfers.

Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 created the OOC under the DOJ and designated it as the central authority for international mutual assistance and extradition for cybercrime and cyber-related matters.

It also acts as the focal agency in law enforcement investigation and prosecution strategies in curbing cybercrime and cyber-related offenses nationwide.

Among its other functions, the OOC can require the submission of timely and regular reports including pre-operation, post-operation, and investigation results, and such other documents from the police and National Bureau of Investigation for monitoring and review.