Las Pinas city judge convicts hacker

Manila Standard Today -- Hacker to spend two years behind bars -- 2010/january/14

(This is an old news I wish to post for the record).
see - http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideMetro.htm?f=2010/january/14/metro3.isx&d=2010/january/14

Hacker to spend two years behind bars

A Las Piñas court slapped a two-year prison term and a P100,000 fine on a businesswoman for hacking into the telephone system of a multinational company.

Edraline Ycot was found guilty on Nov. 25, 2009, of violating the Electronic Commerce Act for illegally tapping in 2004 the facility of Trend Micro Inc., a client of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

The conviction is the first in the country, involving PABX or Private Automated Branch Exchange.

Branch 79 Marjorie Uyengco-Nolasco of the Las Piñas Metropolitan Trial Court said Ycot was penalized for “the unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system/server or information and communications system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devises, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the computer information and communication system.”

The case stemmed from complaints by Trend Micro over PLDT billing statements indicating international calls to the Middle East, United States, Japan, Hong Kong, India, among others without instructions by authorized employees.

Investigation traced the calls to three telephones which were subscribed by various people on 74 San Isidro St., Carmencita Village, Barangay Talon, Las Piñas.

On July 15, 2004, Judge Winlove Dumayas of the Makati RTC Branch 59 signed a search warrant on Ycot’s house.

The following day, a team from the National Police, local officials and PLDT representatives found Ycot making international calls using the TMI PABX system.

In a statement, PLDT said the conviction would serve as warning against hackers to stop their illegal practices.

In a separate case (G.R. No. 155076 Luis Marcos P. Laurel vs. Hon. Zeus C. Abrogar, et al) filed by PLDT against toll bypass and/or ISR operators, the Supreme Court issued an en banc resolution on Jan. 13, 2009, declaring that the business of providing telecommunication and telephone service is covered by the Revised Penal Code subjecting violators to imprisonment and payments of fines.