Philippine Judiciary Joins Efforts to Combat Cybercrime
January 23, 2024
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo (fourth from left) is presented a post-event Report on the closing of the Global Action on Cybercrime Extended (GLACY+) project and the launch of the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) program held in December 2023 by representatives from the Council of Europe and the members of the Philippine delegation on January 23, 2024 at the Dignitaries’ Lounge of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in Ermita, Manila. (From left) Council of Europe (COE) consultant and expert Zahid Jamil, COE Senior Program Officer Anastasia Gadja, COE consultant and expert Branko Stamenkovic, Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez, Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa, Makati RTC Judge Ethel V. Mercado-Gutay, Pasig Deputy City Prosecutor Robinson A. Landicho, and Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Technology Officer Atty. Jed Sherwin G. Uy. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
In a historic meeting held today at the Dignitaries’ Lounge of the Supreme Court in Ermita, Manila, the Philippine Judiciary received from the Council of Europe’s (COE) Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) program the post-event Report from the Philippine delegation who attended the ceremonies of the closing of the Global Action on Cybercrime Extended (GLACY+) project and launch of GLACY-e in December 2023. The meeting symbolizes the collaborative commitment of the COE and the Philippines to strengthen their efforts towards the fight against cybercrime. The GLACY-e program is a joint project of the COE and the European Union.
The Philippines will serve as the capacity-building hub for Southeast Asia under the GLACY-e program, which aims to capacitate judicial authorities and law enforcement officers in handling cybercrime and cyber-related cases.
“The strengthening of our judicial education in the ASEAN Region, with special focus on emerging trends and relevant legislation and instruments for international cooperation, remains very critical as we continue to see an increase in the number of incidents where crimes have a digital element,” said Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.
“Having a sustainable training strategy, along with effective laws and policies, are imperative in responding to the major and growing threat of cybercrime,” he added.
Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez, who serves as the GLACY-e National Coordinator, said that “as a designated capacity-building hub for the ASEAN Region under the GLACY-e, it is a must for us to come up with an approach to judicial trainings aimed at empowering not only the Philippines but all ASEAN countries to develop their own courses and to constitute a pool of local trainers that are able to implement them.”
Continuous upskilling of judicial authorities and other stakeholders of the criminal justice system is part of the Court’s pursuit of excellence under the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI).
Joining Chief Justice Gesmundo and Associate Justice Marquez during the meeting were Deputy Clerk of Court and Chief Technology Officer Atty. Jed Sherwin G. Uy, Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Rainelda H. Estacio-Montesa, Makati RTC Judge Ethel V. Mercado-Gutay, and Pasig Deputy City Prosecutor Robinson A. Landicho. Also present were Council of Europe (COE) consultant and expert Zahid Jamil and Branko Stamenkovic and COE Senior Program Officer Anastasia Gadja. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Management Information Systems Office)
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo (right) converses with Council of Europe consultant and expert Branko Stamenkovic regarding the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) program during a meeting on January 23, 2024 at the Dignitaries’ Lounge of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in Ermita, Manila. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo (third from left) welcomes (from left) Council of Europe (COE) consultant and expert Zahid Jamil, Senior Program Officer Anastasia Gadja, and COE consultant and expert Branko Stamenkovic during a meeting regarding the Global Action on Cybercrime Enhanced (GLACY-e) program on January 23, 2024 at the Dignitaries’ Lounge of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in Ermita, Manila. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)