Mr de Guzman admits he may have accidentally released the virus

The Love Bug virus, attached to an e-mail with the subject line ILOVEYOU, caused damage worth billions of dollars when it crippled at least 45 million computers worldwide on 4 May.

Among those affected were some big US firms, the Pentagon and UK Parliament.

The attack led to an international manhunt, which culminated in the arrest of Mr de Guzman.

Unauthorised access

The computer student admitted that he may have accidently released the virus, but could not be charged with computer hacking since the Philippines did not have a law against the crime at that time.

The National Investigation Bureau (NIB) subsequently charged him with a law that prohibits using electronic devices to break into a telecommunications system.

The "ILOVEYOU" title of the love bug made it tempting to open

NIB chief Frederico Opinion said the law was normally applied for credit card frauds, but it could be used to prosecute those who stole computer passwords.

"What seems to be vitally material in this case is that the respondent used an unauthorised access device, the use of which is prohibited," Mr Opinion told the AP news agency.

The NIB has asked the Justice Department to reconsider its decision to dismiss criminal charges against Mr de Guzman.

Philippines brought into force a new law covering electronic commerce and computer hacking in June, but it cannot be applied retrospectively to the Love Bug case.