NBI delays probe on 'Love Bug' a second time

The probe into the "ILOVEYOU" computer virus attack suffered further delay yesterday as the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) sought another five days to complete its report.

This was the second extension sought by investigators trying to pin down the suspected creators of the e-mail virus that wreaked havoc on millions of computers worldwide last month.

However, Senior State Prosecutor Archimedes Manabat warned the NBI this was "the last time the Department of Justice would be granting the agency's request for an extension."

The NBI is focusing on an AMA Computer College student who says he may have accidentally released the "Love Bug" computer virus. A diskette seized from the apartment of 21-year-old Onel de Guzman contained a similar virus that apparently was written by a schoolmate.

The diskette was one of 17 seized in a raid on the apartment where De Guzman lives with his sister and her boyfriend Reonel Ramones, who initially became an unwitting fall guy after authorities traced the outbreak of the virus to the apartment's phone line.

NBI agent Palmer Mallari said they have already completed their technical investigation but have yet to finalize the draft report that would be submitted to Manabat and other state prosecutors.

Mallari said they may include in their report the participation of Ramones, whom they earlier charged with violation of Access Devices Act of 1998.

The charges against Ramones, however, have been ruled "inapplicable" by the DOJ since the Access Devices Act only covers credit card and fraud, and not computer hacking.

"We have not made any conclusions yet, but I think we will include the actual participation of Ramones," Mallari said, short of implying the NBI would not drop charges against the 27-year-old bank employee.

Authorities earlier admitted they have difficulty pinning down suspects in the absence of a specific anti-hacker law in the Philippines.

The House of Representatives is now scrambling to pass a law that will outlaw computer hacking and protect commercial transactions conducted through the Internet.

However, anyone found to have created and released the "Love Bug" would be immune from any new law, because the program was released while hacking was not yet a crime in the country.

Some lawyers pointed out that the most the NBI can do is charge suspected hackers with malicious mischief.

Reliable sources also said the case would most likely be dismissed if the NBI insists on holding Ramones liable for credit card fraud since the legislative intent of that law did not include intrusions into the Internet.