Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. is set to implement new protocols to strengthen the handling of social media evidence in criminal investigations following the Supreme Court’s issuance of guidelines in proving ownership and control of online accounts.
Nartatez explained that the guidelines provide clear standards that will help investigators ensure that evidence is properly authenticated.
“This will help our investigators build stronger cases. For ongoing investigations, we will review digital evidence carefully while future cases will be handled more systematically and transparently when it comes to social media posts,” he said.
The SC issued earlier seven protocols to prove ownership or control of social media accounts in criminal cases following a conviction for psychological violence under Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and Children).
The guideposts included admission of authorship, account access, unique knowledge, language patterns, records from providers or device forensics, consistency with previous posts, and other indications of ownership or control.
The case cited involved a man who repeatedly harassed his former girlfriend on Facebook after she blocked him on social media.
Despite his denials, the court found that the account posts came from him, citing profile photos, messages to her siblings, and other factors consistent with the seven guideposts.
The SC affirmed his conviction, noting that proving the offender’s identity is crucial in social media-related crimes.
The man was sentenced to eight years in prison, fined P100,000, and required to undergo psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.
For Nartatez, the guidepost reinforces due process in the digital age.
“Now, you cannot just condemn a person based on a screenshot or (social media) post which may be fake on hacked,” Nartatez said in Filipino.
“It ensures that law enforcement and the courts follow clear procedures, which strengthens public trust in our justice system,” he added.
To implement these protocols, the PNP chief directed concerned police units to incorporate the SC’s guidelines into standard police procedures.
Further, the Anti-Cybercrime Group and regional cyber units are being equipped with advanced tools to trace, verify, and preserve digital evidence.
The PNP is also establishing formal channels with social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, and TikTok to facilitate timely verification of accounts involved in criminal cases.
Nartatez encouraged the public to report online crimes promptly and provide credible evidence such as screenshots with timestamps, URLs, or communication logs.
“Remember, do not try to hack or access accounts yourself. Just report it to the nearest police station or through our Anti-Cybercrime Group. The PNP will handle your reports professionally while protecting your privacy and safety,” he said.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “PNP implements new protocols in social media evidence gathering”
