PCW backs tougher penalties for online violence against women

MANILA — The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) backed a Supreme Court ruling that affirmed a conviction for psychological violence committed through Facebook, saying digital platforms cannot shield perpetrators of violence against women from accountability.

In a statement dated Aug. 28, 2026, the PCW welcomed the Supreme Court’s resolution in G.R. No. 274842 dated June 29, 2026, which held that the use of information and communications technology in committing psychological violence can warrant a higher penalty.

The ruling strengthens legal protections for women as harassment, threats, surveillance, sexual exploitation, and other forms of abuse increasingly extend into digital spaces, where harmful content can spread rapidly, remain accessible, and reach wider audiences.

For women and girls, the decision also underscores that abuse committed online can produce real-world consequences to safety, privacy, dignity, reputation, and psychological well-being.

The case involved psychological violence punishable under Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, committed through a publicly accessible Facebook post.

The Supreme Court affirmed the conviction and ruled that Facebook qualifies as an information and communications technology, or ICT, system.

As a result, the higher penalty prescribed under Republic Act No. 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, applied.

The Supreme Court said social media platforms such as Facebook qualify as ICT systems because they enable users to generate, send, receive, store, and process electronic data through computers, mobile phones, and similar devices.

The high court increased the penalty against the accused by one degree, sentencing him to imprisonment of six years and one day to 14 years, eight months, and one day.

The accused was also fined PHP 100,000 and ordered to undergo psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.

“Violence against women remains violence, regardless of where or how it is perpetrated,” the PCW said.

The commission said digital platforms must not become spaces where abuse is normalized, amplified, or allowed to escape accountability.

Technology, according to the PCW, can expand the reach, speed, permanence, and visibility of abuse.

The commission cited online harassment, threats, cyberstalking, digital surveillance, impersonation, unauthorized sharing of intimate content, and technology-enabled coercive control as forms of abuse that can inflict lasting harm on women and girls.

Emerging technologies are creating additional risks, the PCW said.

Generative artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and other synthetic or manipulated media can be weaponized to sexually exploit, humiliate, threaten, deceive, or silence women without their knowledge or consent.

Such abuses can undermine women’s privacy, dignity, bodily autonomy, reputation, and safety, the commission said.

The PCW said the circumstances surrounding G.R. No. 274842 demonstrate that existing laws can address certain forms of technology-enabled abuse while also highlighting the need for laws and policies to keep pace with rapidly evolving technology.

The ruling comes as lawmakers pursue amendments intended to strengthen the Anti-VAWC Act by expressly recognizing electronic or technology-facilitated violence against women and their children.

In the 20th Congress, House Bill No. 8420, or the Expanded Anti-VAWC Act, seeks to define and address technology-facilitated violence against women and their children.

The House of Representatives approved House Bill No. 8420 on May 20, 2026, and transmitted it to the Senate on May 25, 2026.

The PCW stressed that stronger legislation and heavier penalties alone will not be enough to address technology-facilitated violence.

Prevention and effective implementation must accompany legal reforms, including efforts to change harmful gender norms and promote responsible behavior online.

The commission also called for stronger digital, media, and artificial intelligence literacy to help people recognize and respond to emerging forms of technology-enabled abuse.

It said duty-bearers and service providers must be equipped to handle such cases effectively.

Reporting, protection, and support systems should also remain accessible, confidential, and survivor-centered, according to the PCW.

The commission said these efforts are aligned with the country’s obligations and commitments under Republic Act No. 9710, or the Magna Carta of Women, and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

They are also consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals and the National Action Plan to End Violence Against Women, or NAP EVAW, 2025–2030.

The NAP EVAW 2025–2030 provides a national framework focused on preventing violence against women, strengthening services for victim-survivors, and improving coordination and accountability among institutions involved in addressing abuse.

“The Supreme Court’s ruling sends a clear message: technology must never become a shield for abuse,” the PCW said.

“As technology evolves, our systems of protection, prevention, and accountability must evolve with it. Violence against women does not cease when it moves online. Neither should protection, accountability, and access to justice. Technology must shield women’s rights and dignity,” the commission added.