The Philippine STAR, Opinion Page
By Babe Romualdez
The Philippines is now one of the world's text messaging capitals, if not, THE world capital. It has been reported in the 2004 Southeast Asian Broadband and Internet Market Report and the IT Matters website that some 150-M text messages are sent within the Philippines every single day.
As a matter of fact, Smart is expecting its 2004 revenue to hit P18-B and I suppose Globe wouldn't be too far behind. Remarkably, most of these revenues are generated by text messages. While we lead the world in texting, we ranked 39th in terms of competitiveness. Maybe, that is where government should tax to make up for its shortfall, but that is of course, another story.
Texting is so convenient that it can be prone to distortions and abuse. Let me give you an example when a text message was once circulated in our office a few years back. This message, unfortunately, was intercepted due to a technical glitch as it ended up in the phone of the wrong person. This person happened to be the maligned subject in the text message and the incident almost ended in violence, but then it was just an accident. Today, technology allows text messages to be intercepted and monitored.
The real privacy problem on the horizon is when Big Brother starts eavesdropping on your phone calls, texts and emails on account of national security. As a matter of fact, the United States is now countering terrorists through a high-tech tool to monitor "chatter" through a central station that checks all phone calls, text messages and email into the US, especially those coming from potential terrorist havens and, unfortunately, the Philippines is in that list.
The FBI and CIA through the Homeland Security, as well as other law enforcement agencies have naturally beefed up their intelligence gathering activities in the wake of 9/11. The G-men have focused tremendously on the Internet and they have developed a spy tool known as Carnivore, an Internet content-devouring program that enables FBI agents to capture emails .from selected surveillance targets.
Recall that Ridusan Isamudin Hambali, believed to be Jemaah Islamiyah's No. 2 man, was caught by Thai authorities who have been keeping a close watch on his email. Carnivore and other spy technologies are the means by which authorities randomly check "chatter" to get leads on possible attacks.
Despite the anti-wiretapping law, US intelligence agencies eavesdrop with impunity by using satellite technology, especially after 9/11. Just to show you how good their technology works, a typical Filipino joker, who just landed in the San Francisco airport, called his friend and said that the "newly arrived terrorist" is in town. He got the lesson of his life when he was picked up by US security officers shortly after the call. He was then thoroughly interrogated for more than 15 hours before they let him go.
Messages coming from the Philippines are especially monitored because it has been classified a "terror zone" by the Pentagon war room and by Homeland Security. So, like it or not, we are on the radar screen of the US anti-terror intelligence community.
Like other Americans who enjoy visiting the country, she knows that most of these incidents happened in the south. Americans don't have the slightest idea of how far the south is from Manila. The world-renowned Dos Palmas incident is still so vivid in the minds of Americans because of the kidnapping and murder of Martin Burnham and the ordeal of Gracia Burnham, which she wrote in a best-seller book.
US military investigators started to see incidents of Philippine military corruption that gave credence to some of the speculations revolving around the Lamitan rescue attempt. The American quietly looked into the military's corruption that led to the US exposé on Gen. Carlos Garcia.
As of this day, a lot more information is being gathered. I wouldn't be surprised if the PMA cadet, who was caught shoplifting in the US, is part of the whole scheme to bring attention to the military's corruption. They are deeply concerned with containing corruption and implementing reforms as soon as possible before much of the doubled military assistance package comes in next year.
Predictably, the US has developed all sorts of eavesdropping equipment. Unfortunately, these technologies can be abused in this country as husbands and wives could just spying on each other.
From what we understand, an earlier model was acquired by Ping Lacson. The PNP claims that it doesn't have such equipment. So where is it? Is this what Senator Lacson used to get information on his exposés?
As it is right now, these spyware are undoubtedly in use. Some people have even whispered that the Americans are already using these to listen to local conversations without our knowledge.
I asked PLDT's Manny Pangilinan if he knew anything about such a device. He said that telecoms neither have the capability nor the equipment to tap wired and wireless phones. However, there are indications when your phone is being tapped. For instance, your phone is certainly bugged when you hear a hollow echo during a call.
The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) is pushing for RA4200, otherwise known as the 1965 Anti-Wiretapping Law, to be amended because its provisions are still based on the technology of the 1950s.
In last Wednesday's Manila Overseas Press Club's (MOPC) DILG Night, I asked Secretary Angie Reyes to comment on this proposal. He said that we should strike a balance between individual privacy and national interest. He believes that wiretapping should be done only on the basis of a real threat.
In short, only on a case-to-case basis is this acceptable. If it is warranted, then he would agree for authorities to pursue it. Angie said that law enforcers first have to gel a court order even if it takes a long time to get one. He added that the practice of law enforcement should be within the law because recordings can now be used against people in the courts in the prevailing terror environment.
At the end of the day, whether there is a wiretapping law or not, one just has to be careful when talking on the phone, texting and using email. Chances are, your secret conversations are vulnerable. In the old days, it was just, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." Today, you have to make sure you sing the right tune or send the right messages because you can be sure somebody out there is listening.
Babe Romualdez is President of BSMG Worldwide, Manila.
By Babe Romualdez
The Philippines is now one of the world's text messaging capitals, if not, THE world capital. It has been reported in the 2004 Southeast Asian Broadband and Internet Market Report and the IT Matters website that some 150-M text messages are sent within the Philippines every single day.
As a matter of fact, Smart is expecting its 2004 revenue to hit P18-B and I suppose Globe wouldn't be too far behind. Remarkably, most of these revenues are generated by text messages. While we lead the world in texting, we ranked 39th in terms of competitiveness. Maybe, that is where government should tax to make up for its shortfall, but that is of course, another story.
Texting is so convenient that it can be prone to distortions and abuse. Let me give you an example when a text message was once circulated in our office a few years back. This message, unfortunately, was intercepted due to a technical glitch as it ended up in the phone of the wrong person. This person happened to be the maligned subject in the text message and the incident almost ended in violence, but then it was just an accident. Today, technology allows text messages to be intercepted and monitored.
The real privacy problem on the horizon is when Big Brother starts eavesdropping on your phone calls, texts and emails on account of national security. As a matter of fact, the United States is now countering terrorists through a high-tech tool to monitor "chatter" through a central station that checks all phone calls, text messages and email into the US, especially those coming from potential terrorist havens and, unfortunately, the Philippines is in that list.
The FBI and CIA through the Homeland Security, as well as other law enforcement agencies have naturally beefed up their intelligence gathering activities in the wake of 9/11. The G-men have focused tremendously on the Internet and they have developed a spy tool known as Carnivore, an Internet content-devouring program that enables FBI agents to capture emails .from selected surveillance targets.
Recall that Ridusan Isamudin Hambali, believed to be Jemaah Islamiyah's No. 2 man, was caught by Thai authorities who have been keeping a close watch on his email. Carnivore and other spy technologies are the means by which authorities randomly check "chatter" to get leads on possible attacks.
Despite the anti-wiretapping law, US intelligence agencies eavesdrop with impunity by using satellite technology, especially after 9/11. Just to show you how good their technology works, a typical Filipino joker, who just landed in the San Francisco airport, called his friend and said that the "newly arrived terrorist" is in town. He got the lesson of his life when he was picked up by US security officers shortly after the call. He was then thoroughly interrogated for more than 15 hours before they let him go.
Messages coming from the Philippines are especially monitored because it has been classified a "terror zone" by the Pentagon war room and by Homeland Security. So, like it or not, we are on the radar screen of the US anti-terror intelligence community.
Jessica McWade, a visiting American strategic marketing expert, told us in a private meeting tnat a lot of Americans thought she was crazy when she told them that she was visiting the country. Apparently, the country has made a lasting impression as a kidnap and terrorism capital on the minds of most Americans.
Like other Americans who enjoy visiting the country, she knows that most of these incidents happened in the south. Americans don't have the slightest idea of how far the south is from Manila. The world-renowned Dos Palmas incident is still so vivid in the minds of Americans because of the kidnapping and murder of Martin Burnham and the ordeal of Gracia Burnham, which she wrote in a best-seller book.
US military investigators started to see incidents of Philippine military corruption that gave credence to some of the speculations revolving around the Lamitan rescue attempt. The American quietly looked into the military's corruption that led to the US exposé on Gen. Carlos Garcia.
As of this day, a lot more information is being gathered. I wouldn't be surprised if the PMA cadet, who was caught shoplifting in the US, is part of the whole scheme to bring attention to the military's corruption. They are deeply concerned with containing corruption and implementing reforms as soon as possible before much of the doubled military assistance package comes in next year.
Predictably, the US has developed all sorts of eavesdropping equipment. Unfortunately, these technologies can be abused in this country as husbands and wives could just spying on each other.
From what we understand, an earlier model was acquired by Ping Lacson. The PNP claims that it doesn't have such equipment. So where is it? Is this what Senator Lacson used to get information on his exposés?
As it is right now, these spyware are undoubtedly in use. Some people have even whispered that the Americans are already using these to listen to local conversations without our knowledge.
I asked PLDT's Manny Pangilinan if he knew anything about such a device. He said that telecoms neither have the capability nor the equipment to tap wired and wireless phones. However, there are indications when your phone is being tapped. For instance, your phone is certainly bugged when you hear a hollow echo during a call.
The National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) is pushing for RA4200, otherwise known as the 1965 Anti-Wiretapping Law, to be amended because its provisions are still based on the technology of the 1950s.
In last Wednesday's Manila Overseas Press Club's (MOPC) DILG Night, I asked Secretary Angie Reyes to comment on this proposal. He said that we should strike a balance between individual privacy and national interest. He believes that wiretapping should be done only on the basis of a real threat.
In short, only on a case-to-case basis is this acceptable. If it is warranted, then he would agree for authorities to pursue it. Angie said that law enforcers first have to gel a court order even if it takes a long time to get one. He added that the practice of law enforcement should be within the law because recordings can now be used against people in the courts in the prevailing terror environment.
At the end of the day, whether there is a wiretapping law or not, one just has to be careful when talking on the phone, texting and using email. Chances are, your secret conversations are vulnerable. In the old days, it was just, "Smile, you're on Candid Camera." Today, you have to make sure you sing the right tune or send the right messages because you can be sure somebody out there is listening.
Babe Romualdez is President of BSMG Worldwide, Manila.