UN body seals ‘historic’ alliance with CICC

UNODC  Senior Resident Policy Advisor Olivier Georges Lermet and CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos  signed  the  cooperation agreement  on  June 21 at the National Cybercrime Hub (NCH) in Bonifacio Global City,  Taguig.

“The digital sphere has regrettably become a breeding ground for Transnational Organised Crime groups, exploiting technology to orchestrate deeply troubling activities, from bespoke ransomware attacks to jeopardising critical infrastructures, extensive spam campaigns, and the abhorrent live-streaming of child sexual exploitation,”  UNODC  Senior Resident Policy Advisor Olivier Georges Lermet said  during the  signing ceremony .

UNODC  said that 2017 to 2021, the number of cyber threats within the Philippines increase by 433 percent.

The number of online sexual abuse of children tied to the Philippines in 2022 reached 3.3 million, nearly double the figure of the previous year, according to UNODC.

“Beneath these distressing figures lie the individual human lives deeply affected by these abhorrent crimes. The human toll of cybercrime is tangible and devastating. Each number represents a life upended, a victim violated, a family torn apart, and a community destabilized,” Lermet said.

CICC Executive Director Alexander K. Ramos considered the signing of the cooperation agreement with UNODC  as “historic” and  a recognition  of CICC’s efforts  in fighting cybercrime.

“We try to address emerging threats, we try to address the issues in being prepared, and such that we are now here, ensuring that all of these are addressed properly,” Ramos said.

Based on the agreement, both UNODC and CICC recognize the vital role and increasing use of information and communications technology (ICT), and the potential for their misuse, including for criminal purposes, and the consequent impact on the security and stability of nations, societies, and individuals.

“UNODC is mandated to assist Member States like the Philippines in fostering a coordinated, comprehensive response to the interrelated issues of drugs and crime,”  the cooperation agreement states.

The agreement includes the participation of UNODC in the activities of the NCH , development and deployment  of combined greater skill  in cyberspace and digital forensics  and resource sharing between UNODC and CICC.

“CICC welcomes the efforts of UNODC in advancing the implementation of the Global Programme on Cybercrime for the purpose of fulfilling its mandate to provide technical assistance and capacity-building on combating cybercrimes,” Ramos said.

CICC for its  provide will  provide a desk for  UNODC at the NCH and support the development and dissemination of knowledge and skills on cybercrime through training, education and awareness-raising activities.

CICC will Contribute to the overall cybercrime goals and objectives of UNODC by actively participating in its events,ctivities, and by supporting its advocacy and outreach efforts,  Ramos added.

The National Cybercrime Hub (NCH) was established in  December 2022 gathers in one facility, with adequate laboratories and tools, law enforcement and government agencies, academe, experts, the industry, and international law enforcement and government partners, for more effective inter-agency and stakeholder coordination and resource sharing towards prevention and suppression of cybercrimes.