SolGen oral arguments Cybercrime Law & some comments

      If you were not at the Supreme Court yesterday and want to get more details beyond the storified version of the Solicitor General’s oral arguments on the Cybercrime Law, here they are: these are right-clicked from rappler reporter Purple Romero’s twitter account (twitter.com/purpleromeropo), they’re live tweets; i copied them from bottom to top for a chronological flow of the proceedings,  consolidated where proper instead of paragraphing every 146 letters of tweet.

    We could call them:  “court transcripts by live tweets”, a new phenomenon in judicial proceedings.

   Just some comments so I won’t have to interrupt the flow. The Solgen said that surveillance of traffic data will only show the I.P. address and not the identity of the person. Jeez.

    An I.P. address is not just a number. Most of us who use the internet for work or communication use only one or two personal computers: your mobile/ laptop personal computer and a desktop personal computer in the office. Whatever computer you use, whether your PC or a public computer,  law enforcement authorities who have your IP address and are on real-time surveillance are  capable of  knowing where you are.  An I.P. address of your personal computer  leads to your office address or your home address either through the records of the internet service provider or through physical surveillance; and therefore to your identity.  And then PO1 (police officer 1)  can continue gleefully following your every activity in the internet – without a court order!

      When confronted with the absence of standards for what constitutes “due cause” as ground for real-time collection of traffic date (real-time surveillance of internet data) thru questions from CJ Sereno, Justice Carpio, Justice Tessie de Castro, and Justice Marvic Leonen, (what is due cause?), the SolGen, after hemming and hawing,  in the end, said (and I don’t blame him, his is an unenviable job): “law enforcement can start with internal rule”.

        Internal rule? Kalurky. (kaloka, rough translation: drives me crazy or are you mad). It is being suggested that  law enforcement authorities would agree among themselves that they would be angels for all time and will not snoop on anyone’s internet activity except try to track down the code-breaking & code-writing of hackers. This is like saying: Let’s just trust them na lang, okay.

            From twitter.com/purpleromeropo: “Oral arguments on the Cybercrime law now starting at SC. Solgen Francis Jardeleza: Revolutionary change has given malefactors to invent a new crime: cybercrime. Jardeleza: Most important chapters of Cybercrime law are 2,3,4. Chapters 2&3 define acts punishable under the law. Chapter 4  specifies new investigative tools to effectuate the law, to locate and identify the anonymous cyber criminal… Jardeleza outlining how Cybercrime law can help authorities trace and arrest “Mr. Hacker.” Jardeleza: The specter of Big Brother was raised. We categorically say RA 10175 does not authorize Big Brother surveillance. Jardeleza: Sec. 12 will only bring law enforcement to IP address, not address like Kalaw 1, 2, 3,4, 5. Jardeleza: We humbly submit that Sec.19 (takedown clause) be struck down, but Sec. 19 does not make void whole Ra 10175. Jardeleza: Is it unconstitutional for the State to criminalize libel? According to this Court, no. Jardeleza: If an utterance is libelous in the physical world, doesn’t it follow that it is libelous in the cyberworld? Jardeleza: Defamation is defamation, whether we communicate through megaphones, letters, radio, tv or email. Jardeleza: For journalists – defamation is defamation whether stories find themselves printed in broadsheet or internet edition. Jardeleza: A “like” is an approval of opinion. Jardeleza: Can a journalist who works for same paper with print and online edition be prosecuted twice? We humbly submit no….

Justice Abad: Can online libel be punished even without RA 10175? Jardeleza: Yes.

Abad: We have legislative admission that online libel does not clearly extend to Internet postings

Jardeleza: Things can go viral – what about reputation?

Justice De Castro: Libel will be considered under broad crimes in Sec. 6

Leonen: Congress does not seem to understand that libel in 1935 is not the libel we have today

Jardeleza: There is no freedom of expression involved in the case of Mr. Hacker.

Leonen: Wouldn’t the best way to protect us from libel is through civil action? Jardeleza: These are matters we submit to those elected

Justice Carpio: If penal law suppresses freedom of speech, it can be facially attacked? Jardeleza: Libel is unprotected speech.

Carpio: You can get traffic data from PLDT without court warrant, correct? Jardeleza: Yes, provided there is due cause

Carpio on collection of traffic data w/o warrant: Let us go to the judge! If u want we can designate a judge 24/7.You can go to his house

Jardeleza: Not all intrusions are unconstitutional, [they are unconstitutional] only if they are unreasonable

Carpio: It’s the use of internet that makes it a cybercrime? Jardeleza: Theoretically, yes

De Castro: Who will initiate determination of due cause? The law does not say how due cause is to be determined. Jardeleza: You’re right.

Jardeleza: The medium can change, but the competing values are the same. Does it harm reputation?

Justice Bersamin: Attempt in the commission of cybercrime – in the revised penal code there is overt act, we don’t seem to require it here

Jardeleza: There is no definition (of attempt in the commission of cybercrime) in RA 10175

Justice Del Castillo: There is no definition of due cause, it’s subject to abuse.

(1/2) Leonen: Are we not giving too much blanket authority to authorities to inspect data packet?

(2/2) Jardeleza: It’s constitutional but we agree there could be more robust procedures

Jardeleza: Cybersex targets cyber prostitution not obscenity.

CJ Sereno: This innocuous-looking section (Sec.3) is the one that caused the most objection (Sec.3 is the definition of terms)

CJ Sereno: You said Sec. 12 is the heart of regulation. If we strike it down, this law is good for nothing.

CJ Sereno: We might ourselves find standards for due cause,  absent.

Jardeleza: Law enforcement can start w/internal rule

Carpio: Why are we allowing law enforcers to do a shortcut? They could always go to the judge.

Abad: I do not find in cybersex provision anything on prostitution or trafficking. The law does not say that. That’s the problem.

Abad: What assurance can you give us that policeman will use real-time collection for a good purpose? None.

Parties are given 20 days to file respective memorandum. Petitioners will file second amended petition on Jan.30.

CJ Sereno on TRO extension: We will address that in due time.

 

 

Live coverage, Cybercrime Law, SC oral arguments

To your left, under the aqua-blue font title that reads 

” Cybercrime Law, SC Oral Arguments ” are live tweets; scroll down, below the aqua-blue font; it’s updated every ten minutes. 

Updated: tweets of oral arguments after the next three paragraphs, below:

We interrupt regular programming in this blog (in other words, i temporarily changed the theme to have a sidebar for live tweets, and reformatted the blog) to bring you, live,  via broadband, via Twitter, and via WordPress widget-link to Twitter, the Supreme Court oral arguments on the Cybercrime Law. i surveyed the live tweets of the media organizations and chose the fastest: rappler.com reporter Purple S. Romero, live tweets  to your left.

(and below, a copy)

xxx

It’s a quarter to 7pm, i think the Court is about to adjourn or has adjourned. (wait for the: “…So ordered.”)

Anyway, here’s a copy of the tweets posted live from the same twitter user. Ta-tah!

6:32 PM

Petitioners asked for extension of TRO. Sereno said the Court will note this.

Purple S. Romero @purpleromeropo

Oral arguments done. Solicitor general will present position on Jan.22

6:10 PM

Abad: I have a Facebook [account] also. If I like a post, it appeared on my screen, am I not as guilty as the one who published it?

6:07 PM

Matibag: The overbreadth nature of Sec. 5 makes it unreasonable.

6:05 PM

Matibag: The assailed statute issues a subsequent punishment of excessive fine.

5:59 PM

Julius Matibag tackles Sec. 5(1) which penalizes those who aid or abet the commission of a cybercrime offense

5:49 PM

Sereno: You expect to traverse the highway and not have data of your vehicle collected? Disini: That’s a good point.

5:49 PM

Sereno: You expect to traverse the highway and not data of vehicle collected? Disini: That’s a good point.

5:47 PM

Sereno asks about RFIDs in NLEX, SLEX: Can’t police asks operator of the highway to give plate numbers of vehicles that pass highway

5:46 PM

Disini: Data collected through CCTV devices under Data Privacy Act will be considered protected information.

5:39 PM

Leonen: Everyone can google you. How vulnerable are internet users in the Phil to hacking, phishing?

5:38 PM

Disini: What’s here is a license for the government to collect data anytime they want

5:36 PM

Leonen: Isn’t due cause enough?

5:35 PM

Leonen: Where is the balance for law enforcement on the one hand and use of Internet? The balance is found in traffic data.

5:33 PM

Leonen: The speed of our court system is not as fast as packets of information.

5:31 PM

Leonen: Let us speak about hackers. They will never go to these public sites and introduce themselves.

5:30 PM

Disini: There should be court warrant before surveillance is done

5:29 PM

Reyes: What kind of safeguards would you add to RA 10175 to prevent abuse

5:27 PM

Disini: The ability to collect copious amounts of data is unparalleled.

5:23 PM

Abad compares to the The government can only look at the name of the sender and the addressee, but is not authorized to look at content

5:19 PM

De Castro: Is there any way for the ordinary citizen to know they’re only collecting traffic data and not content data?

5:18 PM

Disini: They can conduct surveillance also on the associate i.e. members of family

5:16 PM

Disini: They can destroy data preventing the filing of a case against them

5:15 PM

De Castro: If doesn’t say here what due cause means, which will allow authorities to collect data

5:15 PM

Cruz: Identity behind the number could be revealed.

5:14 PM

Cruz cites http://Chikka.com, which has online promotions. The type of data collected from this are likely to be accurate.

5:13 PM

Cruz: The State has right to look at traffic data. All we ask is judicial intervention.

5:12 PM

Carpio: They cannot seize that from you without a court warrant.

5:11 PM

Carpio: What this law says is give me your phone bill just blacken your name and address

5:09 PM

Carpio: If you look at the phone bill, the only thing not allowed here in the traffic data is your name and address.

5:09 PM

Carpio: There are 3 types of underlying service in your phone bill: text, call, web use.

5:07 PM

Disini: Respondents in their comment agree that Sec.12 will fail to hurdle the standards of this Honorable Court

5:07 PM

Disini: Without privacy, we are not free.

5:06 PM

Disini: Respondents in their comment agrees that Sec.12 will fail to hurdle the standards of this Honorable Court

5:05 PM

Disini: It will permit collection of traffic and interception of traffic data without a court warrant

5:05 PM

Disini: If Internet service providers will not assist authorities, they may be charged with obstruction of justice

5:04 PM

Disini: Nothing in Sec. 12 states restrictions on how long state officers can look for data, use data.

5:02 PM

Disini: It’s as if there’s a state officer standing behind you watching you surf.

5:02 PM

Disin: Traffic data will yield size of messages, information about incoming and outgoing calls, incoming SMS.

5:01 PM

JJ Disini will now talk about Sec.12 which allows law enforcers to collect traffic data

Solomonic

cajipe.jpg

 Imelda Cajipe-Endaya. Mga Anino Kahapo’y Tanaw ko pa Ngayon APIII/25. [“Yesterday’s Shadows are still on Today’s Horizon” (my rough translation)] Photoengraving, etching, and collagraphy.  35 x 28 cm . 1979. . Hiraya Gallery. Rightclicked and uploaded with express permission (thanks thanks!) from the www.hiraya.com   

         The Supreme Court  last night  proposed a Solomonic solution,  a compromise, during  oral arguments  on Romy Neri’s petition  for the issuance of a prohibitory injunction against the enforcement of the Senate arrest warrant (or to stop the warrant of arrest from being enforced).        

         According to news reports, the Supreme Court proposed the following compromise: Neri can be  made to attend the Senate  committee hearing but  the following questions are deemed to have been  responded to by the invoking  of executive privilege by Neri and would not anymore be asked: “1.Did  the President tell you to approve the project in spite of  the bribery disclosure?”  “2. Did the President tell you to prioritize the project?”  “3.Did the President  follow up  her directive on the project?”          

      Second, when  Neri  attends the Senate hearing, depending on the query, he could still invoke executive privilege and if the Senate is not satisfied, they could file a supplement to their pending petition (or to another pending petition.)     

       The senators who were present asked for time to consult their peers on the proposed compromise and, as i understand it, close to midnight, the oral arguments were deferred.

             Some of the senators  (in particular Senator Biazon) had misgivings with the proposed compromise on the ground that  it would set a precedent and effectively “shackle the ability of the Senate” to ferret out information.

            Why is this compromise  being proposed when : it is  a certainty that on any and all questions arising from the offered “commissions” during the ZTE contract negotiations, on the overpricing, on  Jun Lozada’s  revelations, etc., Neri will  invoke executive privilege, and on other questions he will say he doesn’t remember?

               Since that is a certainty (it is a certainty because the petitioner thru counsel already stated at yesterday’s oral arguments that Neri’s communication with the President consisted of diplomatic and military secrets although the lawyer  himself admitted he did not know the contents of the communication!), since it is a certainty that Neri would invoke it if he were allowed to do so by the Supreme Court, why not resolve the question now, here, on whether or not those questions (the first three on what the President did) and  other matters related to it are  matters of executive privilege? Why defer a “final resolution” on whether the subject matter is covered by  executive privilege?

           To my mind, the Supreme Court is proposing a compromise  because  it does not want the conflict between the Senate and the Malacañang to escalate. It wants to defer that.

              In other words, it does not want the coercive powers of one branch of  government to collide with or be enforced against a co-equal  branch, the executive branch,  which  has a monopoly of armed force and which has publicly manifested it would resist the enforcement of the warrant of arrest on Romy Neri. (else, Romy Neri might find himself being “escorted” to Cavite, Calamba, Los  Baños.)

            In other words, maybe…the Supreme Court is trying to tell the parties they should behave like statesmen and diplomatically resolve their differences without asking the Supreme Court to use its own coercive powers.

           If the Supreme Court were to use/ not use  its own coercive powers and deny Romy Neri’s petition, paving the way for  Romy Neri’s arrest to  attend the Senate hearing, and then the Senate arrest order  is disobeyed, and disobeyed effectively by the executive branch; and the Supreme Court is compelled to issue a contempt citation too but that too is disobeyed,  there would be a final breakdown in the last “democratic institution” that people rely upon, the Supreme Court. The Macapagal-Arroyo government would have held the record for that: destroying  all the institutions of checks and balances in government  including the final institution that people resort to for redress of grievances.

              Where do we turn to when that happens?

              Malacañang if it defies the Supreme Court, would have destroyed the last vestige of civilized order in our society.

           Maybe the Supreme Court is not deferring a final resolution, it is deferring a final destruction.

       

         (the Senate can be creative when it is tossed back to them, i.e., trust the wisdom of the Chief Justice  and bring back the subject matter to the halls of the Senate. i don’t know. Work it.)