More cybercrime units sought for Calabarzon cities

SANTA ROSA CITY, Laguna — Additional cybercrime units should be considered for Calabarzon, with city police stations given priority if deployment to every station is not yet possible, Police Lt. Col. Milany E. Martinez said.

Speaking during the open forum of the National Police Commission Calabarzon’s Media Forum and Fellowship Night on 27 October, Martinez cited the limited availability of trained cybercrime investigators.

She said specialized units were already established at the regional and provincial levels, but extending their presence to individual police stations remained a challenge.

“Kung hindi man po kayanin per station, at least priority po natin yung mga city police stations,” Martinez said at Seda Nuvali.

Martinez, chief of the Police Regional Office 4A’s Regional Public Information Office, raised the proposal in response to a participant’s concerns about online risks affecting students and the need for stronger local cybercrime prevention efforts.

She said cybercrime investigations require technical personnel capable of examining electronic devices and tracing activity across digital networks and applications.

Creating additional units would therefore require more personnel and specialized training, she explained.

Martinez expressed hope that the need could be brought to the attention of police leadership, with possible support from peace and order councils.

The proposal was presented as a possible next step, with no implementation schedule or funding commitment announced during the exchange.