“HUAWEI biggest

sponsor in PNP’s anti –

cybercrime summit”
As it deals with controversies, technology giant
Huawei continues to broaden its presence in the
Philippines, tapping the anti-cybercrime team of
the country’s national police as a partner.

The China-based communications equipment

provider was the biggest sponsor during
the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime
Group (PNP-ACG)’s 6th National Anti-Cyber
Crime Summit held last month – from March 26
to 28.
What the PNP got?
 Imee Marcos told Rappler that Huawei gained
platinum sponsorship status after sending two
resource persons to the summit and partially funding
the ACG’s anniversary magazine.
 The cybercrime summit is held every year, coinciding
with the founding of the PNP ACG, which used to be a
sub-unit of the powerful Criminal Investigation and
Detection Group up until 2013.
 “In ACG, we welcome all collaboration with other
countries, because cybercrime is borderless,” Marcos
said.
This is not the first engagement the Philippine
government has with Huawei.
The Department of the Interior and Local
Government is in talks with Huawei and China
Telecom about Safe Philippines Project, a 12,000-
camera surveillance system project that seeks
“efficient management of public order, security
and safety” in the Philippines.
The partnership is seen as in line with the Duterte
administration’s pivot to China.
Huawei was our platinum sponsor during the event..Isa
sa mga highest amount, isa sila sa may malaking
tinulong during that summit (They are one of the highest
contributors, they are one of those who contributed big
help during the summit),” Cinco told Rappler in a phone
interview on Wednesday, April 24.
In fact, Huawei was named as the summit’s sole
“platinum sponsor.” Stage backdrops, banners, and
program were pasted with the Huawei logo above US-
based Diamond sponsors Microsoft, and Fortinet and
Gold Premium sponsor Forcepoint.
Huawei’s presence and sponsorship of a PNP event came
amid questions about its ties with the Chinese
government and other privacy-related concerns.
Help in combating cyber crime
 Marcos said Huawei’s help was much appreciated because
cybercrime has been on the rise. In 2018 alone, cybercrime
incidents increased by 80%, based on ACG’s numbers.
 The anti-cybercrime chief acknowledged that Huawei is at
odds with the Philippines' longtime ally, the United States, as
well as other tech-pioneering countries. But he stressed that
pending formal complaints against Huawei, the PNP is free to
partner with it.
 “We only base [our actions] on evidence, facts, and anything
gathered as law enforcers,” Marcos said.
 The PNP ACG, according to Cinco, has not received any
equipment from the Chinese tech giant. Instead, he said, they
have been beneficiaries of Huawei’s “expertise” and “technical
assistance."

 “I can categorically say that we don’t have Huawei equipment

now...Neither procured nor donated,” Marcos said.
Risky?
 Several countries have expressed concern over using
Huawei equipment, with many fearing that
cooperating with the tech giant can be an open
window for China’s intrusive security apparatus.
 On April 22, the London-based newspaper The
Times published a report quoting sources that the
United States’ Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has
evidence that Huawei received funding from several
branches of the Chinese government.
 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has also warned
the Philippines of the risks it may face in partnering
with Huawei, adding that it cannot be trusted.
THANK YOU!😊