TACLOBAN CITY — The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will open a cybercrime office in Eastern Visayas that will handle online-related complaints amid a growing number of cybercrime cases in the region.

NBI Regional Director Emeterio Dongallo said his office has received many cybercrime complaints and needs to speed up the processing of other cases. He made the disclosure during the “Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas” forum on Tuesday, 1 October.

Dongallo said that that the most common types of cybercrime include online libel, online scams, violations of the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009, identity theft, online threats, unjust vexation, sextortion and ATM and credit card fraud.

“We received cybercrime-related cases almost on a daily basis. However, around 60 to 70 percent of them are flimsy cases between friends or neighbors that have escalated on social media,” he said.

Dongallo explained that opening the Cybercrime Office is part of the NBI’s modernization efforts. The agency also plans to build a new office in Tacloban City and renovate the existing one. The NBI will upgrade its equipment to better combat cybercrime.

Dongallo said the NBI is conducting information campaigns on social media, holding seminars and offering training on new technologies.

They are also monitoring social media for signs of potential future attacks.

The Cyber Investigation and Assessment Center, established under the law, will serve as the main hub for information related to cybercrime, including computer intrusions and threats.