The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has warned social media users against posting or sending threats online, stressing that statements made behind a screen can carry serious legal consequences.
Police Captain Sedric Suanco, team leader of the DCPO Cyber Response Team, said online threats may constitute criminal offenses depending on their content and circumstances.
“One of the primary offenses that may be considered is Grave Threats under Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code. Article 282 covers threats of committing injury to the person, honor, property or family of a person amounting to a crime,” Suanco said during the Davao Peace and Security Press Corps media briefing at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.
He cited threats involving schools as examples that authorities take seriously.
“For example, ’yung mga nag-fi-filing ngayon sa social media na pumatay sa school, may bomba sa school, so, that violation may fall sa Article 282 of the Revised Penal Code,” he said.
Suanco said the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 may also apply when such offenses are committed through information and communications technology.
“So, when the threat is made through social media, since posted ’to sa internet, under Republic Act 10175 or Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, lahat po ng mga crimes, mapa-RPC man ’yan or Special Law, kapag committed through ICT or devices, ’yung penalty generally imposed one degree higher,” he said.
Suanco also warned users against assuming that dummy accounts guarantee anonymity.
“So, ang akala kasi ng mga nagpo-post sa social media, mananatili silang anonymous. So, sa cybercrime, iniimbestigahan namin at meron kaming proper coordination. Through legal process, we can identify ’yung mga owner ng mga accounts na nagpo-post ng ganito sa internet,” he said.
He stressed that threats involving school shootings or bomb attacks cannot simply be dismissed as jokes.
“So, for threats of school, school shootings man ’yan or bomb threat, katulad ng ‘Papatay ako sa school,’ ‘Mamaril ako sa school,’ these are not statements that law enforcement can simply ignore,” Suanco said.
“All of the reports we receive like these are taken seriously because we don’t know, baka gawin talaga ng nag-post,” he added.
Suanco said investigators preserve digital evidence, monitor accounts and coordinate with appropriate authorities to identify those behind threatening posts.
“Paalala lang namin na dummy accounts are not shield to those who believe that they can simply create a dummy account and threaten people. Do not assume that a dummy account means you cannot be identified,” he said.
For those who encounter an online threat, Suanco urged immediate reporting instead of sharing it further.
“If you see a credible threat against a person, school, or community, do not ignore it and do not simply share it further, kasi kapag shinare niyo po ito, mas magpapanic po ang ating community,” he said.
He advised the public to report threats to the nearest police station, anti-cybercrime office or school authorities and to preserve the original digital evidence.
“Kapag nakakita kayo ng ganung message, post sa social media, i-screenshot niyo po ’yung account name, profile URL or account ID, date and time, exact threatening statement, comments and reactions when relevant, any photographs, videos, links, or attachments. If possible, preserve the original URL and do not edit or alter the evidence,” he said.
