RMN director, biktima ng Facebook raket

ZAMBOANGA CITY - (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 30, 2010) – Nagbabala sa publiko ang Radio Mindanao Network matapos na mabisto na may nagpanggap at gumagamit sa identipikasyon ng program director nito sa popular na social networking site na Facebook.

Sinabi ng RMN na may nagpapanggap na Gil Climaco sa Facebook at doon ay kung anu-anong mga malalaswang larawan ang inilagagay uopang hiyain diumano ang program director nitong si Gilbert Climaco.

Nagagamit rin umano ang Facebook account ng impostor upang manghingi ng salapi at mag-recruit ng trabaho mula sa mga nabibiktima.

Dahil dito ay dumulog sa National Bureau of Investigation at Criminal Investigation and Detection Group sa Zamboanga City si Gilbert Climaco upang maghain ng reklamo at hanapin ang impostor.

“Aatake ito sa aking personal na katauhan at kailangan matigil na ito sa lalong madaling panahon upang wala ng mabiktima ang impostor,” ani Climaco.

Nagulat pa umano si Climaco ng malaman nay Facebook account ito dahil ni hindi umano nito alam kung paano ang takbo ng mga social networking sites.

Nagbabala rin ito sa ibang mga reporter na mag-ingat sa kanilang mga social networking account dahil posibleng maging biktima rin sila ng “identity theft.”

Sinabi ni NBI na iniimbestigahan nito ngayon ang kaso at itinutring itong isang “cyber crime.” (Mindanao Examiner)

Zambonga journalist victimized by identity theft on facebook

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A program director and news anchor of Radio Mindanao Network Zamboanga City sought assistance from the National Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group as well as from National Union of Journalists of the Philippines for a facebook account who used his name to extort money.

Gilbert Climaco said he believes he was a victim of identity theft that resulted in harassment, verbal abuse and trauma.

Climaco a radio anchor of Radio Mindanao Network discovered that an unidentified person is using his name, his mug shot photos and personal background through social networking site Facebook.

“I don't have knowledge about using social networking in fact I don't have an account with Facebook or any other social media or networking sites,” Climaco told the NUJP ZAMBASULTA.

In said “Gil Climaco” Facebook account, lewd photos and other pornographic materials are posted tagging all media friends, sources from all government agencies including personal friends, relatives, families and children.

“The impostor is doing negative things against me, maligned me and it has created a lot of mess in my life,” Climaco added whose family, friends, relatives and children are affected, scandalized and traumatized over the postings of photos made by the impostor.

Lorna Fernandez Jumalon a known local painter here and one of those tagged in the said indecent photos initially reacted strongly against Climaco, “I want to hurt him, to slap him again and again.”

Fernandez Jumalon was glad when she learned that said Gil Climaco account was not of the real Climacos.

“What if she was not informed, anybody can just approached me and do something harm on me,” Climaco said.

NBI Assistant Administrative Officer George Perez said Climaco is victim of identity theft and the person or the impostor who used his personal background “has the intention to harm him physically, destroy his honor and image.”

Perez admitted that social networking is also one form of high technology media attack or harassment, “anybody can just create an account and can manipulate other people to attack you, its also a form of media attack.” (NUJP - Julie Alipala)

Lawmaker criticized for proposal regulating use of Twitter, Facebook by civil employees

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 12, 2010) - A group calling itself COURAGE criticized a Filipino lawmaker who is proposing to regulate the use of social networking sites in government offices and state-run corporations.

“The Honorable Representative from Marikina is barking on the wrong tree in claming that the use of social networking sites is adversely affecting the productivity and quality of public service of the government workers. If only he would do his homework, it’s low pay and the patronage system in government and definitely not facebook and twitter use,” it said in a statement sent to the Mindanao Examiner.

COURAGE, the national center of government employees, said Marikina Representative Romero Federico Quimbo filed the House Resolution No. 184 filed which seeks to regulate the use of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter in government offices and state-run corporations.

Ferdinand Gaite, COURAGE National President, said: “No matter how hardworking the employees may be, this will come to naught if the policies and program of the government that they are bound to implement are inadequate or worse, inimical to public service. Even the supposed increased in power expenses is negligible compared to the millions of funds being pocketed by the fat cats in the government offices some of whom rarely spend time at the office to do their jobs”.

“While the rest of the world are recognizing the use of the internet for better communications and information dissemination, the legislator is proposing to limit their use. It is also disheartening given that some government offices especially in the provinces have yet to have access to the net,” Gaite said, adding, that the national broadband project that is supposed to interconnect offices and speed-up public service has been shelved due to corruption. He was referring to the NBN-ZTE deal.

He said Quimbo should sponsor a legislation to increase the employees salaries and improve their working conditions. “His suggestion for employees to use their own laptops and internet connection for Facebook use is an insult to us because a majority of the government employees’ take home pay could not even take them home,” Gaite said.

But while Quimpo is proposing the regulation of the social networking sites among civil employess, President Benigno Aquino III and his spokesmen, on the other hand, has encourage citizens to follow them on Facebook and Twitter.