Facebook Arrest

While I was surfing the web earlier, I came across with a news item in CNN.com regarding a police department in New Zealand which successfully used the popular social networking site, Facebook in apprehending a burglar. Apparently, the police created their own Facebook account wherein they posted security camera images of the suspected burglar in the account and the next day, they already have the suspect in their custody. The proud constable dubbed their strategy as the first "Facebook arrest". While reading the article, I wondered whether any police department in our country could think of doing the same thing. I realized that here in the Philippines, the criminals were the first to exploit these popular social networking sites such as Friendster in executing their nefarious modus operandi.

What the New Zealand police did was a clever idea. Harnessing the power of information technology to further criminal law enforcement is really innovative. I just wished that if ever the Filipino police force do the same, they would do it in such a way that will NOT violate someone's constitutional rights.


Raymond R. Roque
06-78143