The Supreme Court of the Philippines has increased the penalty imposed on a man convicted of psychological violence against his former partner, ruling that crimes committed through social media warrant a higher punishment under the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
In a 20-page resolution promulgated in June 2026, the Supreme Court’s First Division denied the convict’s motion for reconsideration and affirmed his conviction for violating the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act.
The Court said the case demonstrates how social media can be used to inflict psychological abuse and amplify the victim’s suffering and humiliation.
It ruled that Section 6 of the Cybercrime Prevention Act requires a penalty one degree higher when a crime is committed through information and communications technology, provided the use of ICT is alleged in the criminal information and proven during trial.
Although the information did not expressly use the term “ICT,” the Court held that references to the accused’s Facebook Messenger account and Facebook posts sufficiently established that the offense was committed through electronic means.
The accused was found guilty of repeatedly posting insulting and threatening statements about his former partner on Facebook after she ended their relationship and blocked him on social media.
The Supreme Court increased his sentence from six years to as much as 14 years of imprisonment, while affirming the P100,000 fine and the order requiring him to undergo psychological counseling or psychiatric treatment.
The Court said the ruling serves as a warning that perpetrators cannot evade liability by denying ownership of social media accounts and reaffirmed that violence against women and children has no place in society, whether committed online or offline.
