MANILA, Philippines - A law need not be passed just to regulate the use of Facebook and Twitter in government offices, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda made the statement after a lawmaker filed a bill that seeks to impose regulations on the use of government Internet facilities to access social networking sites.

In an ambush interview by ABS-CBN News at the Palace, Lacierda said it's enough for government agencies to provide their own policies on Internet use in the office, especially if personal websites such as social networks begin to reduce workers' productivity.

Malacañang itself has been promoting the use of social media to reach out to the Filipino people. Last month, it launched a new website and a Twitter account.

Marikina City 2nd District Rep. Romero Federico Quimbo filed Wednesday House Bill 184, which regulates the government employees' use of social networking sites Facebook and Twitter during office hours.

Quimbo estimated that the government loses some P10.3 million a month in electricity expenses if its employees use Facebook and Twitter 2 hours daily.

Facebook, Twitter in action

Most people think that social networks are only for personal use, but the government has already tapped these websites to track down those who break the law.

Last week, the Finance Department created Facebook and Twitter accounts so citizens can report tax evaders, smugglers, even corrupt officials in government. These complemented the agency's new website, aptly called Pera ng Bayan (The Country's Money).

Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima observed that so far, they have been getting tips about businessmen who don't pay the proper taxes. (Read story here.)

Police authorities, meanwhile, recently used Facebook and Twitter to track down a gang of young men and women who allegedly robbed the rich to feed their drug habits.

Rommel Miranda, police spokesperson, said they caught the suspects by looking at their social networking accounts. They killed one of the suspects and arrested 3 others in an encounter. -- With a report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News