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‘Govt cyber attacked after Duterte arrest’
By Nidz Godino
“Their target is specific,” Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Undersecretary Jeffrey Ian Dy said citing digital assets of Philippine Coast Guard, Office of the President, DICT, National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies,cybersecurity activities targeting government websites have increased following arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
Dy said attacks related to Duterte’s arrest can be traced mostly to local hackers, many of whom are attempting to deface government websites.
Aside from these local attempts, said are mostly aimed at embarrassing the government, Dy said they also monitored increase in activity of so-called advanced persistent threat or APT actors. These include those whose “modus operandi” is associated with Chinese actors.
He said it is possible that they are riding on recent issues to achieve their objective, to “gain access to critical databases of government.”
“I feel that they are riding on recent issues… if attacks are voluminous, their activities will be hidden, there is increase in cybersecurity activities targeting government digital assets since arrest of the former president, most of these attacks don’t really go through, but some did…there was defacement in DA ,Department of Agriculture and some DILG ,Department of the Interior and Local Government websites” he added.
Since last week alone, Dy have monitored around 70,000 to 80,000 “malicious attempts.”
“This is quite high…we’re still trying to look into patterns,” he added.
Pro-Duterte vloggers and influencers apologized for spreading fake news and disinformation in their vlogs during House of Representatives’ probe.
Vloggers Krizette Laureta Chu, claimed being editor of big newspaper, Mary Jane Quiambao Reyes and Mark Lopez were subjected to thorough scrutiny by lawmakers investigating spread of fake news and misinformation through social media.
Manila 6th district Rep. Benny Abante scrutinized Chu for her claims that children of congressmen were sent to study in Europe and Switzerland, and that government leaders were “fools” to even think of trying to get loans from other countries, as well her assertions that some Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program (AKAP) beneficiaries were given financial assistance even if they can afford to have braces on their teeth.
Chu admitted that all these vlogs were based on news reports and not on facts.
“I apologize… I don’t know what happened on Dec. 28 to make me angry if I wrote about it that time…it is in news that we will have to get loan this year, that is why I was angered… I was angered because I saw beneficiary of AKAP with brace… I am not laying it on congressmen… I am laying it on the… to give that person P5,000 despite that, because I am taxpayer,” Chu said.
Abang Lingkod party-list Rep. Stephen Joseph Paduano also grilled Reyes over her post claiming that extrajudicial killings were hoax.
When asked if she had documents or proof to support her claim, Reyes admitted she had none.
“OK sir, next time, sir…next time before I write something, I will get documents first under oath and not just base it from mainstream media,” Reyes said in response.
Lopez, another pro-Duterte influencer, also found himself in hot water over social media posts concerning South China Sea.
Lopez admitted to spreading falsehoods. “Sorry po, fake news po ako,” he admitted before panel.
House committee on overseas workers affairs chairman and Tingog party-list Rep. Jude Acidre also confronted Chu over her claims of mass resignation among policemen because of Duterte’s arrest and subsequent detention in The Hague for warrant issued by International Criminal Court (ICC).
Acidre questioned her source, to which Chu admitted she based her claim on unverified TikTok posts.
“In other words, it was just your impression…in short, it was rumor, it was lie you propagated,” Acidre pointed out.
But Chu insisted she used word “daw” to indicate uncertainty.
Acidre countered that legitimate journalists do not operate on “general impressions” and must verify information before publishing. National Bureau of Investigation arrested content creator in Cebu for allegedly spreading fake news and altering news report from media agency, NBI Director Jaime Santiago announced.
Suspect Wendeline Abduhan Magalso was taken into custody by NBI agents from agency’s regional office in Cebu following operation coordinated with Facebook, Santiago told reporters at NBI headquarters in Manila.
“Arrest stemmed from altered version of TV5 news report, included manipulated statements attributed to President Marcos Jr., as I promised, we are taking serious steps against vloggers who spread fake news,” Santiago said .
Further coordination with Facebook led NBI to Magalso, prompting agents in Cebu to conduct operation and arrest her.
Santiago warned other vloggers engaged in disinformation that NBI is actively monitoring online activities. “We are taking this matter seriously,” he said.
NBI has yet to release details on charges filed against Magalso, but Santiago reiterated authorities will continue to crack down on spread of fake news online.
Vloggers and social media influencers, mostly pro-Duterte, attended state-sponsored seminar in China in 2023 with all expenses paid by Chinese government, former Presidential Communications Office (PCO) secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles admitted during hearing.
Angeles made admission under questioning by House deputy speaker David Suarez about National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) of China and its role in training media practitioners from different countries.
Suarez showed photo of attendees to NRTA seminar, with Angeles and other pro-Duterte vloggers posing for picture.
Angeles confirmed her awareness of such programs, acknowledging that she was one of the invitees. She named fellow participants in the seminar, took place from May 23 to June 5, 2023, in China.
“Myself, Pia Morato, Tio Moreno was there as journalist and I think information officer Mr. Mark Lopez and attorney Ahmed Paglinawan,” she said, adding that she could not recall other names.
When pressed by Suarez about who funded the trip, Angeles admitted seminar was “sponsored,” with Chinese government covering travel, accommodation and seminar costs.
Former PCO chief revealed invitation came directly from Chinese embassy, regularly selects participants for such programs.
“They conduct these regularly, I understand,” she said, adding that mainstream media practitioners were also invited at different times.
“They introduced new techniques in social media such as short-form videos, how to take them and other technical aspects…they also gave background on China,” she said.
Suarez also turned to pro-Duterte vlogger Lopez, confirming his participation. “Sir, that is the only one that I have attended,” Lopez said, affirming it was his only China-sponsored seminar.
Suarez then asked whether seminar influenced their work.
Angeles downplayed its impact on her political views, saying she was already well-versed in China’s history.
Lopez, on the other hand, said he gained understanding of “how China media works.”
Meanwhile, Sagip party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta wants to see “face-to-face” in Congress vlogger who called him “demon” in one post.
During House tri-comm’s third hearing on malicious and fake online content, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel granted Marcoleta’s motion to summon one Epifanio Labrador.
In video shown during hearing, Labrador cursed Marcoleta and called him “diablo” and also cursed Marcoleta’s religion.
“Whatever cursing they want to hurl at me, I don’t know them…but the way he cursed me, as you all have heard what he has been stating, but people I think will not believe him because I am not that,” Marcoleta said.
Pimentel ordered tri-comm secretariat to issue summons to Labrador.
Bureau of Internal Revenue has created task force to audit social media influencers for tax registration compliance and tax payments, BIR lawyer said during hearing.
In its last hearing, tri-comm panel directed BIR to submit list of social media content creators taxed by the agency and their respective tax payments.
BIR lawyer Ron Mikhail Uy said BIR “has already created specialized body… task force dedicated to investigating social media influencers and consequently, for issuing letters of authority for further tax audit.”
He said hearing panel has actually given his agency list of 27 social media personalities, explaining difficulty in running after these taxpayers.
Country is being divided by online fake news, PCO chief Jay Ruiz said during House tri-comm’s third hearing.
“Nation is being divided by online disinformation, misinformation and fake news, what is happening to us right now is we are being polarized, being divided online… Filipinos are being pitted against Filipinos” Ruiz told lawmakers.
Ruiz said division happening in the country is similar to discord world is seeing in US. Neutralizing malicious online content, according to Ruiz, “is big fight” nation should be waging.
“Lies, repeated thousand times, becomes truth…we have to fight lies with truth… voice of truth should be louder than lies,” Ruiz said as he warned of dangers of division among population caused by online disinformation and misinformation.
Ruiz also called attention to danger posed by deepfakes, as well as regulation not only of online media practitioners but of social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. However, he said problem is that these platforms are not based in the Philippines.
At Senate, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian described as “timely and most relevant,” partnership forged between government agencies PCO and Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) to fight growing threats of disinformation and online scams.
PCO-CICC partnership is part of administration’s broader campaign to establish safer, more truthful information ecosystem in the country.
PCO formulates and implements an integrated program of information and developmental communication on work of presidency, while CICC is responsible for all functions related to cybersecurity.
ISKUP! 