'Love Bug' suspect charged in RP

Fri, 30 Jun 2000, 00:00 WIB | Source: AP

MANILA (AP): Philippine investigators filed criminal charges
on Thursday against a computer programming student suspected of
having released the "ILOVEYOU" computer virus which crippled e-
mail systems worldwide, officials said.

The filing of charges against the 23-year-old student, Onel de
Guzman, had been delayed while lawyers for the National Bureau of
Investigation studied evidence and applicable laws.

Until President Joseph Estrada signed a new law last week
covering electronic commerce and computer hacking, the
Philippines had no laws specifically against computer crimes.

The new legislation, however, cannot be applied retroactively
to the "Love Bug" creator, and investigators instead charged de
Guzman with "traditional" crimes such as theft and violation of a
law which normally covers credit card fraud, NBI Director
Federico Opinion said. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20
years in prison, he said.

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