Google faces cyber-crime cases in Philippines

A Philippine senator has filed cyber-crime charges against Google Philippines and the owners of two YouTube channels at the Justice department for showing videos alleging domestic violence and adultery in his family. 

“Social media sites need to step up and be more responsive to reports and more especially to legal complaints,” Senator Francis N. Pangilinan said in a statement on Friday. “These are harmful to individuals and to families.” 

Mr. Pangilinan said Google, the owner and service provider of YouTube since 2006, is “liable under Philippine laws as a foreign corporation doing business in the Philippines.” 

He added that his office had reported 82 fake and malicious videos to YouTube, which rejected 28 reports for lack of merit. It had yet to decide on 54 reports, he said. 

The videos were uploaded on YouTube on May 2021 alleging that Mr. Pangilinan had physically abused his wife, actress Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan. Some of the videos also claimed his wife had committed adultery. 

His family has denied all the allegations. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago