Newsbytes Philippines reports that the the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 was approved by the Senate on Monday morning (January 30), with 13 senators voting for the measure and one going against it. The report noted that the bill "provides penalties for a host of Internet-related crimes such as online theft, fraud, hacking, cyber-squatting, and child pornography."

According to the report, "Sen. TG Guingona cast the dissenting vote, saying the law's anti-cybersex provision was 'unconstitutional.'" The report did not specify what the provision was or why exactly Guingona opposed it.

The report also pointed out that the bill "is the first ICT-related legislation to be approved by Congress in more than a decade." It added: "The pioneering E-Commerce Law signed by former Pres. Joseph Estrada way back in 2000."

Sen. Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, explained, "The bill will have to undergo bicameral review before it becomes national law, but I am optimistic that our counterparts in the House of Representatives will act as decisively."

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