By CARMELA FONBUENA
abs-cbnNEWS.com/Newsbreak
It's either a devious plot to twit someone's political ambition or a clever ploy to earn big bucks using a famous politician's name.
Sen. Loren Legarda on Monday called on the Senate to investigate the Web site
lorenlegarda.com, which she said is being used to "deceive the public into believing false advocacies and information."
According to Legarda, the questionable Web site—
www.lorenlegarda.com—was registered and maintained by certain J.S. Lim who claims to be a resident of Singapore. The Web site was registered through a hosting party named bluerazor, an internet hosting company based in Arizona , USA .
She said her investigation showed that Lim was a fictitious person and that the purchase of the Web site is "probably" politically motivated since the site contained political forums.
"I strongly issue a disclaimer on these bogus Web sites that tend to mislead my constituents into believing principles and policies which I do not adhere to. I have not authorized the construction and maintenance of the bogus or fake Web site lorenlegarda.com," she said in a privilege speech.
Legarda’s official Web site is
The Official Website of Loren Legarda.
The senator said e-mails sent to a certain @lorenlegarda.com address would get an automatic reply, saying that the senator was on the campaign trail and that funds could be donated to a PayPal account.
Web site for sale
The wording on the site seems to support Legarda's claim that the purchase of the site could be linked to her plans for the 2010 elections.
A check on the questionable site shows that the Web site is for sale.
It said:
"This domain and lorenlegarda.org are for sale. Serious offers to purchase this domain will be considered. Send your full contact details with your offer price. Not cheap but purchaseable. Last serious offer by email >Euros 18,000.00 but there is no deal yet."
"The Internet will definitely shape the way the polls will be contested in 2010 as more people search and get information over the Internet."
"Who knows who will control this domain in 2010?"
"Set up your strategy early and victory will be imminent."
The purchase of the URL
lorenlegarda.com is the latest case of cybersquatting in the Philippines, which is defined by US law as "registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else."
The most famous local cybersquatting case involved the Web site
:: PLDT :: main, which was registered by Gerry Kaimo ahead of local telecoms firm Philippine Long Distance Telecommunications (PLDT). Kaimo used the site as an online forum for consumer complaints against PLDT and other utility firms before it was shut down and transferred back to PLDT after a lengthy legal battle.
Lorenlegarda.com for sale at 18,000 euros
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