DOJ teams up with NU for first-ever digital forensics course in PHL

For the first time in Philippine education, a university offers a formal degree program on cybercrime, specifically digital forensics.

 

The Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime (OOC) signed a memorandum of agreement with the National University, which will offer a four-year bachelor's degree course on digital forensics.

 

The NU is the first educational institution approved by the Commission on Higher Education to offer such a program, said the DOJ in a statement.

 

"This is an institutional way in ramping up the capacity for our cybercrime fighting initiatives. It will also provide internships and on the job training for students," said Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

 

According to the MOA, the DOJ will be providing lecturers and resource speakers on the Cybercrime Prevention Act and cyber-related laws and jurisprudence.

 

The NU will also grant tuition discount for qualified personnel who will take up the degree.

 

"Such public-private partnerships are crucial to increase cybercrime awareness and to open a new field in education and work-based research," said Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, head of the OOC.

 

President Benigno Aquino III signed the anti-cybercrime law in 2012 to stamp out cybercrimes such as fraud, identity theft, spamming and child pornography.

 

In October 2012, the high court put on hold the implementation of the law after it received 15 petitions questioning the constitutionality of some of its provisions, with various groups condemning it for purportedly threatening freedom of speech, increasing the penalties for libel, and making it easier for authorities to spy on citizens using electronic media.

 

Last February, the high court finally decided on the cases, and upheld the constitutionality of the law, including its part on online libel, although it struck down some parts of the law like the one that empowers the DOJ to take down websites suspected of violating the law.  — ELR, GMA News