The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) unveils the Digital Forensics Platform and Laboratory (DFPAL) that would help the government fight against cybercrime, specifically online sexual abuse, and exploitation of children (OSAEC).

DFPAL is housed inside CICC’s headquarters in Quezon City.

“The opening of DFPAL will allow the CICC to monitor and coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in conducting thorough digital and forensic investigations and assist them in prosecuting cybercriminals nationwide,” says Cezar Mancao II, executive director, CICC.

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The CICC was created by virtue of Republic Act 10175, also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, for policy coordination among concerned agencies. It is one of the attached agencies of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) tasked to lead the government’s efforts in the fight against cybercrimes, especially internet-based child sexual exploitation.

To report a cybercrime against children, you can call our helplines, 09666524885, 09206260217, or via email at report@cicc.gov.ph. You may also reach out to our institutional partners, the NBI-Cybercrime Division (nbi.gov.ph or at (877) 624-7707), PNP – Anti-Cybercrime Group (acg.pnp.gov.ph or at 0998 598 8116), and DOJ – Office of Cybercrime ((+632) 523 8482).

During the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from March to May 2020, cases of OSAEC in the Philippines increased by more than 264%, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ), citing data from the US-based National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

OSAEC

“We have acquired a powerful state-of-the-art technology, which will improve the success rates of investigators and policing operations in the ongoing pursuit to identify, apprehend, and convict individuals and networks associated with online child sexual exploitation,” Mancao said.

The DFPAL will be manned by trained and certified professionals from various fields such as information and communications technology, psychology, digital forensics, data analytics, research, and communications that would provide vital support to the operations of the CICC.

The CICC has undertaken several programs, such as Child Online Safeguarding Policy (COSP), Cyber Patrol Program, Batang Barangay Capability Program, and the Cyber Conflict Program, among others. It’s also part of the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography (IACACP) and the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT).