IT Law Journal

administrator January 3rd, 2005

Editorial
by Michael Vernon M. Guerrero

It is not uncommon that certain individuals relate Information Technology to be within the exclusive domain of computers. It is neither uncommon that certain individuals would shirk from the alleged complexities of computers and their systems while at the same time awed and excited by the new PDA features present in their mobile phones. The sign that there is reduced distinction between computers and mobile phones, in fact, manifested itself years ago by the notification in the system tray icons in mobile computers communicating with old infrared-equipped mobile phones, i.e. a message balloon indicating “Computer found” and followed with the mobile phone model. With computer technology being extensively adopted into mobile phones, and mobile phone technology being incorporated into computers, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP), it would appear that future distinctions between devices might be limited to a contrast of size, and network linkage. Further, the legal issues attendant to said devices are similarly and increasingly becoming common. This is clear in the banner story entitled “Incriminating Text” by Mary Ann Ll. Reyes, the Journal’s new Editor-in-Chief. She also wrote the articles “VOIP: To regulate or not to regulate,” “Gambling through SMS,” and “Globe Telecom vs. NTC,” in this issue. Her profile is available at the Society’s article “IT Law Journal welcomes new Editor-in-Chief.”

This issue also highlights the relevance of technology vis-a-vis the Philippine government’s thrusts, especially those of the judiciary. Justice Vitug’s speech entitled “The Legal Profession in the Digital Age” is reproduced herein. The efforts of the Supreme Court (SC)’s Management Information System Office (MISO), led by Atty. Ivan Uy, are described in Ma. Cristina A. Ramos’ article “SC E-Library: Delivering Vital Legal Information Online” as well as in the reproduction of the Court’s Annual Report articles “Computerization of Courts” and “Modernization of the Courts.” An overview of “Computer Forensics,” relating evidence and the processes employed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), is provided by Jhonelle S. Estrada’s article. The website of the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is featured in the LegalWeb section of the Journal, which is now regularly handled by Ms. Ramos.

An overview on the legal consequences of e-mails is found in the article of Atty. Jaime N. Soriano, the e-Law Center’s director and the Society’s moderator, entitled “Legal Minutiae on E-Mails”; while the attitude towards Peer-to-Peer technology is described in “P2P: Pirate to Pirate towards actual Peer-to-Peer,” and the Intellectual Property case against P2P software manufacturers was outlined by Ms. Estrada in “Metro-Goldyn-Mayer Studios Inc. vs. Grokster Ltd. and Sherman Networks Ltd.”

This issue’s featured article is entitled “A descriptive study on Cybersex, Audio-Visual Sex Scandals, and Child Pronography: Prosecution under existing Philippine Laws, and Other proposals as a framework for future legislation,” a paper submitted by Ailyn L. Cortez, Carlyn Marie Bernadette O. Guerrero, and Reynaldo M. Pijo in their Advance Legal Writing class. The topic was chosen and the article was written in light of the dismissal of the asianbabe.com case in Pampanga (a cybersex den case) due to alleged lack of laws to prosecute; the continuing proliferation of sex videos of certain celebrities, if not, unsuspecting females; and the increase in the number of adult websites featuring roughly 18 Filipino teens.

With the release of this first issue of Volume 2 of the Journal, and for your continuing support; I, in behalf of the officers and members of the Society, and in the same jovial spirit manifested in the Lager Night sponsored by the Society last February, wish you “Salud.”

• ITLJ 2-1
• Comments(1)