New cyberlab to go full blast in Feb.

Law enforcers in Central Visayas will get a boost in their fight against cybercrimes when the new digital forensics laboratory of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) will become fully operational next month.

Senior Supt. Jose Pante, CIDG-7 Chief, said the laboratory wasn’t the first of its kind in the country but it would be a big help to law enforcement agencies especially in dealing with cybercrimes.

Pante cited the laboratoty’s capability to examine digital devices such as computers and mobile phones.

He said the laboratory, in Sudlon, barangay Lahug, Cebu City, would give law enforcement agencies the capability to extract evidence that could be used as evidence especially in cases involving the use of digital technology.

Pante said the lab would cut the time to extract data from digital devices from months to days.

Pante was referring to the previous practice of sending the digital devices to Manila for examination. Pante said the results would be known in months.

But now, with the new digital forensics laboratory, it will only take days for its examination.

The training of policemen with information technology (IT) background will be prioritized  once the laboratory will be operational next month.

Pante said that they would still  secure a building permit and install electricity for the building to be fully operational.

The lab was inaugurated last Jan. 14 by Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia and Police Director General Nicanor Bartolome and CIDG Director Samuel Pagdilao.

Bartolome said with Cebu’s growing tourism, the police would need to level up.

He said the laboratory is “instrumental to our objective in the increase of the crime solution efficiency to address the needs and demands of the public.

Pagdilao, on the other hand, said the facility will help speed up the investigation of crimes.

The building covers an area of 100 square meters and Capitol has allocated P1,045,683.48 for its construction.

The CIDG also turned over P5 million worth of forensic equipment, which include two sets of PC, 1 set of laptop, hard drives, a digital camera and evidence drives.

Last August (2011), Capitol officials sat in with police officials to draw up plans for a “cyberlaboratory” to deal with the rash of cyberpornography cases in the province.

Supt. Gilbert Sosa, Chief of the Anti Trans-National and Cyber Crime Division of Camp Crame, proposed this to Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale in last August’s opening of the Cyber Crime Investigation Seminar at Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr.

Magpale wrote Governor Garcia about the proposal which she welcomed.