SOME lawmakers have expressed alarm over reported cyber attacks targeting media outfits.
That is why House Resolution 2493 was filed, asking the House Committee on Information and Communications Technology to investigate the issue in aid of legislation.
The resolution states that the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) already urged the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate incidents of attacks against some news websites such as CNN Philippines, Rappler, Philstar and others.
During the past year, alternative media websites such as Bulatlat, Altermidya and Karapatan were also victims of cyber attacks, which was related reportedly to the Philippine Army, using the infrastructure of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The Philippine Army and the DOST already came out with a statement denying any involvement in the reported cyber attack.
The resolution, however, urged that Congress, including the DICT and the NBI should already investigate the matter of cyber attacks against media websites, especially that the national and local elections on May 9, 2022 is getting nearer, where the public needs credible and trusted sources of news and information.
Despite the spread of fake news, the perpetrators of fake news should be found and be made responsible not just for their malicious intentions to disrupt not just the operations of media entities but also to influence the outcome of the elections.