MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Thursday that voyeurism and cyberlibel cases saw an uptick in 2024.

In a statement, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) Chief Brig. Gen. Bernard Yang said reported cyberlibel cases rose by 4 percent from 1,403 in 2023 to 1,458 in 2024, while voyeurism cases saw an 18 percent increase --from 294 in 2023 to 347 last year.

Yang underscored the gravity of these offenses which cause significant harm to individuals, tarnish reputations, and infringe on personal privacy.

“The rise in photo and video voyeurism, particularly among former lovers, is largely driven by acts of revenge or emotional retaliation,” Yang said.

“The widespread availability of intimate content shared during relationships, combined with the ease of online distribution, enables such harmful behavior to proliferate."

Under Republic Act (RA) 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act, cyberlibel carries a penalty of six to eight years imprisonment or a fine ranging from PHP40,000 to PHP1.5 million.

Meanwhile, RA 9995 or the Anti-Voyeurism Act of 2009 penalizes voyeurism with three to seven years imprisonment, a fine ranging from PHP100,000 to PHP500,000 or both.

He further assured the public of the ACG’s readiness to handle such incidents.

“If you are a victim of online abuse, report it to us immediately for prompt action,” Yang said.

The ACG advised netizens to be cautious with their data and avoid sending explicit photos or videos to anyone.

They should refrain from engaging in sexual activities during video calls, which can be recorded and later used to blackmail or exploit them. (PNA)