CEBU, Philippines – Cebuana journalist Annie Perez-Gallardo filed a complaint before the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) after an unknown individual stole her identity on the messaging platform Telegram on Friday, December 6.
Perez, a well-known media personality and member of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) Cebu Chapter, said in a Facebook post that she had discovered a Telegram account using her photo without permission under the name “Annie Rhose Bondoc.”
According to the journalist, the impersonator appeared to be attempting to scam others.
“This is not me and I have no relation to this person whatsoever,” Perez wrote in her Facebook post.
When Perez confronted Bondoc through the app, the latter denied being an impostor and instead accused the journalist of being the impostor, saying: “Ikaw ang fake! Bakit ayaw mong sumagot? (You’re the fake one! Why won’t you answer?)”
The incident escalated when Bondoc threatened to report Perez and taunted her.
“Ikaw ang ire-report ko. Madami kami, mag-isa ka lang (I’ll report you. There are many of us, and you’re alone),” the impostor said.
The incident alarmed Perez, and she was afraid of the potential harm that could come to others that would be targeted by the impersonator. On the same day of the incident, Perez reported the incident to the NBI’s cybercrime division.
The journalist disclosed that it was not the first time this happened this year. Perez said she learned about the impostor from a colleague who sent her screenshots of Bondoc’s account.
Cebu journos denounce harassment
The NUJP Cebu Chapter denounced the identity theft and harassment directed at Perez in a Friday evening statement.
“The NUJP Cebu calls for justice against those who exploit the identities of media workers and demands stronger measures to protect journalists from such malicious acts,” the union said.
In the statement, the NUJP highlighted the possible consequences of computer-related identity theft.
Under the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, computer-related identity theft is defined as the intentional acquisition, use, misuse, transfer, possession, alteration or deletion of identifying information belonging to another, whether natural or juridical, without right.
Suspects found guilty of computer-related identity theft may be imprisoned from 6 years and 1 day to 12 years and be fined at least P200,000.
The group also commended the NBI’s swift response in assisting Perez in filing her complaint. – Charles Cedrick Canton/Rappler.com
Charles Cedrick Canton is a Rappler intern from the Velez College in Cebu City.