Being cast in a bad light is not so bad, after all.
Michael Buen, a 23-year-old graduate of AMA Computer College, may yet hit pay dirt despite being implicated in the "ILOVEYOU" virus computer mess.
Buen's younger sister Maan told The STAR that job offers have been knocking at their door since last week following the worldwide media reports on the deadly cyber virus.
But Buen, a former classmate of Onel de Guzman who is suspected by authorities to be the principal creator of the "Love Bug" virus, turned down the offers, saying he wanted to clear the air of the controversy first before taking any job.
Maan said two invitations came from large computer corporations.
As this developed, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is still in a quandary on whether to lodge criminal charges against either Buen or De Guzman, or both.
Sources said the only evidence the NBI has against Buen was an alleged threat that he would unleash the virus if he did not land a job by end-April.
The "Love Bug" has reportedly infected millions of computers worldwide, causing damage estimated at $10 billion.
Meanwhile, the respective families of the two boys were having mixed emotions about the controversy that put them in the limelight.
Despite the negative implications, the two families feel some degree of pride that Onel and Michael have attracted global attention as alleged computer hackers.
"It may be speculative on my part, but although the controversy had given the De Guzman family a certain degree of remorse, they are also happy (about it)," said family lawyer Rolando Quimpo.
Maan said their family has the same feelings.
"Of course, we are also glad," she said, adding that her brother had become an instant celebrity with job-hunting now being the least of his worries.
Quimpo also revealed that he would petition the court to quash the search warrant issued against his clients and ask for the return of the computer articles seized by NBI agents during a raid on the De Guzman residence in Pandacan, Manila.
Among the seized items were diskettes containing results of a thesis research done by Onel's sister Irene for her master's degree in Business Administration at the University of Sto. Tomas.