The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has intensified the campaign against online fixers and scammers with the help of the anti-cybercrime unit of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

In a memorandum of understanding between the two agencies, the LTO and the Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) will be collaborating on case referral and joint investigation to establish a coordinated system to handle and resolve cybercrime cases within their respective mandates.

The same agreement also tasks the two agencies to enforce mechanisms to assist in the enforcement of orders, resolutions, and decisions related to cybercrime and transport-related offenses, and capacity building to conduct joint training, seminars, and knowledge-sharing initiatives on cybercrime investigation, cybersecurity, and data protection.

The agreement was signed by LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II and PNP-ACG Director Police Brigadier General Bernard R. Yang on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

“The MOU is designed to provide a unified front in addressing the intersection between land transportation services and cyber security threats,” said Yang.

“With the rise of online platforms for licensing and registration, both agencies recognize the urgent need to safeguard personal information and prevent exploitation by criminal elements,” he added.

Mendoza said the MOU was based on the mandate of both agencies to operate within domains where data protection and cyber-related offenses intersect, adding that such mandates sometimes require a collaborative approach.

The PNP ACG is dedicated to implement and enforce the pertinent laws on cybercrime and other cyber related crimes and pursue an effective anti-cybercrime campaign while the LTO is to combat fixers with a multi- pronged approach including launching on-site outreach programs, initiating a full digitalization program, forming alliances with law enforcement and sending confidential agents to monitor fixers.

“The cooperation of the LTO and the PNP-ACG is essential to make the digital platforms for land transportation-related transactions safe to all our clients, particularly on the aspect of data privacy and online scams,” said Mendoza.

“Through this MOU, we hope to conduct more aggressive operations and legal offensives against fixers, scammers and cybercriminals,” he added.

In general, he said the MOU is aimed at bolstering cooperation in safeguarding data privacy, enhancing cybersecurity measures, and combating cybercrimes, including online scams and the proliferation of fixers in land transportation transactions.

Mendoza emphasized the importance of PNP-ACG’s assistance especially that the LTO is one of the agencies that invested much on digitalization in all its transactions.

Yang, for his part, hailed the MOU as a good start in the government’s intensified efforts to run after cybercriminals.

“This partnership between the PNP ACG and LTO is a powerful step towards protecting our citizens not only on the roads, but also in cyberspace,” he said.