Manila: The latest batch of 44 agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is expected to help crack down on emerging trends in cybercrime, NBI Director Jaime Santiago said Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Santiago mentioned that Batch 52 of the NBI Academy, composed of 32 lawyers, 10 accountants, and two licensed criminologists, will undergo training in information technology (IT) forensics from Australian experts. Santiago emphasized the importance of staying ahead in the fight against cybercrime, citing the expertise of Australian authorities in this field and a memorandum of agreement in place with them.

Santiago also highlighted the global nature of cybercrime, stating that coordination with international agencies like the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other foreign counterparts is ongoing. This collaboration is particularly focused on the forensic analysis of electronic devices seized from cybercrime suspects.

In addition to addressing cybercrime, the NBI is actively working to combat the spread of fake news. Santiago explained that the NBI is coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology, the National Telecommunications Commission, and other government offices to tackle fake news spreaders, bloggers, and creators of malicious content.

The NBI is investigating whether there is an organized, funded initiative behind the dissemination of fake news. Santiago expressed concern about the increasing prevalence of fake news and the potential chaos and confusion it could create in the political atmosphere, stressing that such developments should not be allowed to disrupt the country.