Many people laugh at the text jokes about the ?Hayden Kho scandal,? but I can?t. This scandal raises serious issues.

The Hayden videos bring us to the fact that there is no specific law on cyber crimes in our country. Statutes are indispensable to societies. Plato of Ancient Greece wrote and I quote, ?When perfected, man is the best of all animals, but when detached from law and order, he is the worst of all.?

In an interview with GMA News, Gabriela party-list Rep. Liza Maza cited a case of a teenager who was gang-raped. The rapists videotaped the crime and then later sold the video. Both the recording of the rape and the selling of the video deserve punishment, but there is no law that prescribes penalty for such acts. That?s not funny.

The Hayden videos bring us to the issue of freedom and responsibility. The Internet promotes freedom but it is also being abused. Kho abused that freedom at our expense. That?s not funny.

The Hayden videos bring us to the issue of trust. The New Testament teaches us trust. Jesus trusts humanity. He trusts that we are capable of choosing good over evil. He died for that. Kho crucified Jesus again. That?s not funny.

Kho did to Katrina one of the most terrible things a human being can do to another human being. Videos stored in cyberspace may exist forever. A few years from now, Katrina may find a husband and then have children, but the video may still be there. What if her son or a daughter or a grandchild logs on to the Internet and sees the Hayden videos? That?s not funny.

?ROGELIO B. PORTILLO JR.,
junportillo@yahoo.com