Life in jail sought for bank hacking, ATM card skimming

The House of Representatives has passed a measure meting out the penalty of life imprisonment for the hacking of bank systems, which would be considered a form of economic sabotage.

House Bill No. 6710, which was unanimously approved on final reading with 224 votes, would also mete out this penalty for fraud involving more than 50 automated teller machine (ATM) cards.

The bill would update the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 to include “skimming” of ATM cards and hacking into banking systems as crimes. —Vince F. Nonato