NBI to establish cybercrime, forensic laboratories in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will establish its own cybercrime and forensic laboratories in Cebu next year, with the Cebu provincial government providing the land for these facilities.

NBI-7 Regional Director Atty. Renann Augustus Oliva announced that the exact cost of constructing the laboratories and their specific locations within the province are yet to be determined.

Currently, the NBI faces delays in receiving results for DNA, fingerprint, and handwriting analyses, among others, due to the high volume of cases processed at their head office.

“Daghan na trabaho atong experts sa Manila,” Oliva said, emphasizing the workload their experts in Manila are handling.

He also mentioned the numerous requests from courts, complainants, and other government agencies for faster release of these results.

Meanwhile, the Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Lapu-Lapu City is set to conduct the arraignment of 17 accused involved in the discovery of three cybercrime farm sites raided by the NBI and other government agencies on August 31, 2024.

These individuals, comprising 16 foreigners and one Filipino, face seven counts of qualified trafficking in persons. The court will also conduct a pre-trial of the case.

The arraignment and pre-trial will proceed after Presiding Judge Ronald Tolentino of Regional Trial Court Branch 73 in Lapu-Lapu City denied the motion to quash information filed by 11 of the 17 accused in a 27-page decision dated October 28, 2024.

The other 168 foreign nationals, including the 17 accused, are currently under the custody of PAOCC in the National Capital Region. (CEBU NEWS)