PNP chief orders ramped up drive against online bullies

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, has ordered the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) to ramp up its campaign against cyberbullying in social media platforms.

“With the surge of technological advancements, cybercrimes became one of the most prevalent modus nowadays. Oftentimes, cyberbullying is used by unscrupulous individuals to prey on the youth,” Gamboa said in a statement issued on Saturday.

In a report, the ACG said it investigated 19 cases of bullying online that victimized young people from Jan. 1 last year to June 30 this year.

Gamboa said his order was in compliance with the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, which mandates all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent bullying in their institutions.

The PNP chief, meanwhile, urged parents to report incidents of cyberbullying to the authorities.

“We urge our parents to monitor if there are changes in their child’s behavior. Should they confirm that their child has been victimized by a cyberbully or an online scammer, I encourage them to immediately identify the perpetrator and report it to the authorities,” Gamboa said.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac noted that the PNP-ACG and its Regional Anti-Cybercrime Units havve official Facebook pages that can entertain reports of various cybercrimes.

/atm