Iglesia Ni Cristo Member Found Hacking

Two facebook users discovered that they couldn't access their facebook accounts, and pointed out that the problem was caused by a hacker. The hacker was identified to be Carlo Joseph Reyes (whose picture appears on the left), an INC (Iglesia Ni Cristo) member from Molino, Cavite. John Dela Cruz, a witness, testified that the suspect used a phishing site to infiltrate the personal computers of the victims in order to obtain information which includes email and password stored in their computer's browsers. The suspect belong to Cybro, an INC group responsible for hacking emails, facebook and friendster accounts in the Interet. Dela Cruz said that his facebook account was also hacked by the suspect although he was able to retrieve it.

Danny Luis, victim, was surprised that his facebook account was inaccessible, and that the profile name was changed into Danny Dominguez. Mike Castillo, another victim, also had the same experience. Their facebook accounts were used by the hacker to post disparaging remarks to the facebook friends of the victims. Luis and Castillo were identified to belong to a rival religion of INC. According to ther friends, the hacker was enranged after having a few exchanges regarding religion.

In the Philippines, hacking is a crime punishable by law. The Philippine Online Chronicle reported last January, that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI’s) Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (ACCD) launched an investigation into the slew of hacking of government websites. This includes the defacing of the home pages of the Department of Health (DOH), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), all within the span of a month.

SEC. 33. of the Electronic Commerce Act states, "Hacking or cracking which refers to unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system/server or information and communication system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devices, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of thecomputer or information and communications system, including theintroduction of computer viruses and the like, resulting in the corruption, destruction, alteration, theft or loss of electronic data messages orelectronic document shall be punished by a minimum fine of one hundredthousand pesos (P100,000.00) and a maximum commensurate to the damage incurred and a mandatory imprisonment of six (6) months tothree (3) years;"

In the United States, hacking is covered under law Title 18: Crimes and Criminal Procedure: Part 1: Crimes: Chapter 47: Fraud and False Statements: Section 1030: Fraud and related activity in connection with computers. The federal punishment for hacking into computers ranges from a fine or imprisonment for no more than one year to a fine and imprisonment for no more than twenty years. This wide range of punishment depends upon the seriousness of the criminal activity and what damage the hacker has done.

Will Carlo Joseph Reyes face the same penalty? Brother Eduardo Manalo! Your members are uncontrollable!

(Note: Names of the victims were changed for security)