PNP needs 200 IT experts vs cybercrimes

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking for 200 information technology (IT) experts for its Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG), an official said yesterday.

ACG chief Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa said the IT experts will be distributed in different parts of the country and asked to be on duty even in the wee hours.

“Cybercrimes have no boundary and there is no time zone in the cybercrime world. So when communicating with our foreign counterparts, we need to have available personnel 24 hours a day,” Sosa said.

While the ACG cannot offer salaries equal to those of private IT firms, working with the ACG to protect the innocent is a fulfilling job, he said.

“Some of them (ACG staff) were offered 10 to 15 times their present salary, but they chose to stay because they love being with ACG,” Sosa said.

There are currently 130 ACG personnel nationwide.

PNP chief Director General Alan Purisima earlier said nine out of 10 Filipino Internet users fall victim to cybercrimes – ranging from virus and malware infection, identity theft, bullying, credit card fraud and child pornography – due to lack of awareness.