Persons aiding terrorists through Internet to be arrested for “cyber sedition” – DICT

June 13, 2017

Philippine authorities will arrest individuals allegedly involved in "cyber sedition" for spreading the propaganda of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and its local link Maute Terror Group, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) said on Tuesday. In a press briefing in Malacanang, DICT Secretary Rodolfo Salalima said his office has been helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines in tracking down those websites being used by terrorists. "There will be arrests...we're not going to name the persons. We are able to track about more than one last night," Salalima said. The military has said there are over 60 social media accounts being used by the ISIS to disseminate its propaganda. "To the extent that they effect or they commit cybercrimes, then DICT takes over. Remember, rebellion, sedition are crimes under the old  penal code. You do sedition, you incite people via cyber or via Internet, I call it there is cyber rebellion. There is cyber sedition. But in rebellion, there must be taking up of arms. So if it's online, it could amount to cyber sedition," Salalima explained. The AFP has decided not to jam the signal of telecommunication firms in Marawi City where the government troopers have been fighting the ISIS-linked Maute terrorists since May 23 even if the latter could manage to post their propaganda on different websites. The military has said signal is more important in its operation than to prevent the terrorists from spreading their propaganda. Celerina Monte/DMS