It is Ironic

It is ironic that a computer forensic analyst named Alexander Ramos was given the Timothy Fidel Memorial Award for 2007.
The Timothy Fidel Award is given in memoriam of Special Agent Tim Fidel, a pioneer and advocate of cyber forensics. The committee that evaluates the nominees consists of a wide range of leaders in computer forensics. Nominations come from around the world for individuals who completed a computer forensic investigation during 2006.
Ramos was chosen for his outstanding role and analysis of digital evidences in a multi-jurisdictional investigation involving 7,000 hacked PBX’s/voicemail systems worldwide. He also led the PNP team which investigated the hacking activities of a syndicate preying on the vulnerability of telecommunication networks around the world. He is also a key figure in the campaign to fight the spread of child pornography in the Asia-Pacific Region and have had success against crime syndicates and saved the lives of its young victims.
It is ironic because he is a Filipino. It is ironic because he came from a country whose ability to find and prosecute cyber-criminals faces technical, legal and resource challenges, a country that lags in technological, structural and social changes in ICT. It is ironic because this country has the world’s best computer crime investigator.
It is ironic that there’s no mention of any recognition from Malacanang for his achievement when we’re the one who needs his expertise the most. The fact that Malacanang recognizes Manny Pacquiao but not Alexander Ramos is indicative of our government’s thrust to improve the country’s ability to counter cyber-crimes. Ramos said in an interview with Computerworld Philippines[1] “Our country needs a lot of maturity to appreciate my work.” I think our country just needs a little less irony.


[1] Computerworld Philippines, June 2007. Vol 17 No. 5 page 4