Manila: The Department of Justice's Office of Cybercrime and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) are in discussions to collaborate on projects aimed at strengthening criminal justice, particularly in the enforcement of cybercrime laws in the Philippines.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DOJ announced that the collaboration would involve increasing the government's pool of digital forensic experts and enhancing the capabilities of cybercrime investigators and prosecutors. DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla emphasized the necessity of this initiative due to the rising number of cybercrimes and cyber-enabled offenses in the country.

To further discuss the details of this partnership, Secretary Remulla will lead a delegation of DOJ officials to the UNODC headquarters in Vienna, Austria. There, they are scheduled to meet with UNODC Executive Director Ghada Fathi Waly and visit the UNODC's Crime Laboratory. This visit will coincide with the 68th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs from March 10 to 14.

The DOJ highlighted that these activities align with the Marcos administration's commitment to human rights and the rule of law. Concurrently, Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes Andres, head of the DOJ's Law Enforcement Cluster, is leading discussions with the UNODC's team in the Philippines. Andres aims to institutionalize the government's ability to procure and utilize essential digital forensic tools and software for cybercrime investigations, stressing the importance of prioritizing funding for the renewal of these tools' licenses.

The DOJ and the UNODC plan to sign a comprehensive memorandum of agreement in May to cover various justice sector programs, including prison reform and forensics.