'Love Bug' suspect charged in RP

Fri, 30 Jun 2000 | 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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