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5 succumed, 21 injured in Zamb firecracker explosion

By J.Lo

“Most of those injured were workers of  warehouse,” Col. Kimberly Molitas, Zamboanga City Police Office acting director said investigators are still determining  cause of  explosion. warehouse storing stocks of pyrotechnics and firecrackers accidentally exploded, killing five people and injuring 21 others.

Explosion  ripped through  warehouse in Marquez Compound, Barangay Tetuan Zamboanga City. It also damaged several residential and commercial buildings nearby.

Molitas said  minor was among  five killed in the incident.

Molitas stressed that firemen and medical responders rushed  injured to different hospitals for treatment.

However, he ruled out terrorism as among  causes, citing  accounts of several witnesses.

“We heard  series of firecracker explosions. .. suddenly,  massive blast came shaking our building,” said witness Raymond Enriquez,  worker at  nearby construction supply store.

Molitas said  owner, Jonathan Chua, was “very distraught and in state of shock and could still not provide information about  incident.”

“We will provide  needed assistance to  injured workers and civilians who were brought to the hospitals,” Mayor John Dalipe assured.

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HEADLINES

FMJ needs more time to handpick DepEd chief

By Nidz Godino

“It turns out, it’s harder than I thought because we have to absolutely get it right…so, I’m giving myself more time,”  President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told reporters after attending an event in Makati City picking  next education secretary was harder than he thought, so he is giving himself more time to find  “right person” for the job vacated last week by his Vice President.

“As I told you before, we have to see really what  DepEd ,Department of Education needs,” he said.

Marcos explained  next DepEd chief should be able to “manage  agency properly” and help “bring up  test scores” of students in the country.

“In other words, yes, I am having  hard time choosing because  work of  DepEd chief is very complicated,” the President said.

Marcos earlier said he would name  replacement of Vice President and former education secretary Sara Duterte-Carpio by the end of the week.

Asked whether he already had  shortlist, Marcos said, “I’m not going to let you tie me down to anything…we are looking at everyone.”

Sen. Sonny Angara is reportedly being eyed as possible replacement of Duterte.

“I know people myself who I think can do  job,” he said.

The Chief Executive received several recommendations for the position, including  educator,  administrator and  history professor.

“And I’ve gone through so many CVs, we have lot of competent people,” the President said.

“Many people come to me and say why don’t you think about this fellow, why don’t you think about this  maestra…why don’t you… so, we look at them all,” Marcos said.

The Chief Executive said  next DepEd secretary should be someone who “understands  bureaucracy, and how to use  budget properly.”

Furthermore, he or she should be someone who can steer country to higher test scores, according to Marcos.

“What we always look at is our test scores…we have to bring up test scores…you all know that…so, you need an educator who understands how to help  students, how to help  teachers,” he said.

Philippines landed in the bottom four of  global test for creative thinking, according to results of  Program for International Student Assessment (PISA)’s newly launched benchmarking test for creativity.

Among 64 countries, 15-year-old Filipino junior high students were deemed to have one of the weakest creative thinking skills globally, with  mean score of 14.2.

In  PISA results released in December last year, Philippines landed in the bottom 10 out of 81 countries in reading comprehension, mathematics and science in 2022.

“There’s  great deal more work to be done and we’ll find  right person to do it,” Marcos said.

Duterte’s resignation as DepEd secretary will take effect on July 19. She resigned as DepEd secretary and vice chair of  National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on June 19 amid  souring relationship between her family and  Marcoses. Marcos earlier said Duterte did not say why she quit her post.

Senate colleagues of Angara have vouched for his qualification as next DepEd chief.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian  is convinced of Angara’s capability to lead  DepEd, citing their experience working together in Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2).

Gatchalian is EDCOM 2 co-chairman while Angara is commissioner for governance and finance. Gatchalian himself was reportedly also being considered for the post of DepEd secretary.

Harvard educated lawyer with  economics and international relations degree, Angara chaired  youth, finance and ways and means committee in  Senate, as well as  higher and technical education committee when he was  Aurora congressman.

Angara has also authored and sponsored several laws improving access to quality education, such as  Free College Education law, Unified Student Financial Assistance System for Tertiary Education (UNIFAST), Anti-Bullying law, Alternative Learning System law, among others, according to his curriculum vitae.

“He is on his last term, so this would be  good transition for him…he, as  active member of  Education Commission, knows  solutions to  problems of  education sector,” Gatchalian said.

“He also took up college at  London School of Economics and then Master of Laws at Harvard University…his education background is really top class… I see in his experience and in his passion for education that he is fit for the position,” he stressed.

Gatchalian would prefer to finish his term in Senate, squelching talk that he was  shoo-in for the post.

It would also not look good if he is appointed education secretary when his brother Rex Gatchalian is  social welfare secretary.

“I still have four years in  Senate… I want to finish  mandate given to me by millions of voters,” Gatchalian said.

Sen. Nancy Binay, for her part,  is proud that two of her fellow “Solid 7” members – Gatchalian and Angara are being considered for  DepEd post.

They formed  bloc of senators who sided with former Senate president Juan Miguel Zubiri when the latter was ousted by now Senate President Francis Escudero.

“It is  proud moment that our fellow two group mates are fit for the job…both of them are part of EDCOM and thus know  problems of  education sector, I guess consideration is that Senator Sherwin has four more years left as senator, while Angara is graduating next year,” Binay said .

Escudero and Sen.  JV Ejercito have also vouched for Angara’s competence as DepEd leader.

Meanwhile, teachers’ group Teacher Dignity Coalition has reiterated its call on President Marcos to choose non-politician with managerial skills and teaching background as  next education secretary.

“First, we insist that  new secretary should not be politician or actively involved in partisan politics… crucial to keeping  DepEd free from political conflicts and ensuring  its focus remains on educational advancement rather than divisive politics or electoral considerations,”  TDC said.

TDC also said that since DepEd is considered as  largest bureaucracy in the country, its next leader should have  necessary knowledge and experience in managing  agency’s extensive operations.

“The new secretary will confront complex challenges, manage extensive resources, implement policies affecting some 47,000 schools and 1 million personnel and initiate reforms that will impact  entire educational sector,” TDC pointed out.

TDC also said  next DepEd chief should have  “teacher’s heart,” meaning he or she comes from  academe or at least has an experience in public school teaching.

“Such a background ensures that  new secretary has firsthand experience with  daily challenges faced by teachers and students, providing  deeper understanding and empathy for their situations… new secretary should have  teacher’s heart,” TDC said.

TDC, however, clarified  despite its preference for candidates possessing these three qualifications, it is not endorsing any specific individual, particularly from its organization or allied organizations.

“Regardless of who the President appoints, we vow that we will continue to engage with DepEd to improve our education system…our focus remains  advocating for better policies for teachers, single most important factor in education,”  TDC said.

Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT), for its part, said resignation of Duterte as DepEd chief has finally freed  agency of an “inept” leader, contrary to  claim of former presidential legal adviser Salvador Panelo that she had been productive.

“Education sector, in fact, has finally been freed from  grip of  agency head who, for two years, miserably failed in addressing  learning crisis and resolving  massive shortages in teachers, classrooms, education support personnel and teaching and learning resources,” ACT chairman Vladimer Quetua said in  statement.

“Her declared accomplishments in her two Basic Education Reports barely scratched  surface of  declining state of education as schools remain overcrowded, understaffed, underfunded and neglected, while teachers and education workers continue to be overworked, underpaid and undersupported,” he said. 

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Arnie Teves’ sibling nabbed in Dumaguete

By J.Lo

“I think part of the case against them is  illegal possession of firearms, coupled with terrorism and terrorism financing cases because apparently  property and some of their assets are being used in furtherance of their terrorist activities  resulted in spate of killings in the past,” Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said brother of expelled lawmaker Arnolfo Teves Jr., Pryde Henry Teves, was arrested in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental by  Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Brother  of  expelled lawmaker,  former governor of Negros Oriental, was arrested by  authorities due to alleged terrorism violations under  Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012.

Warrant  of arrest was issued by  Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 74 on May 13, 2024.

In July,  Anti-Terrorism Council designated  Teves brothers and 12 others as terrorists for their alleged involvement in several murder incidents and harassment in Negros Oriental.

These incidents include  murder of Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo, which also led to the deaths of several civilians.

In  interview with  press,  Andres said  expelled Arnolfo is also included in the charge of terrorism financing. 

According to the undersecretary, illegal possession of firearms charge has also been lodged aside from  terrorism raps.

Pryde Henry’s bail has been set at P200,000.

In  statement, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla lauded  arrest of expelled solon’s brother. 

“CIDG’s diligent efforts have ensured those who threaten peace and security are brought to justice,” Remulla was quoted as saying in the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) press release. 

On June 18,  DOJ said trial of Timor-Leste’s tribunal de recursos on extradition case of expelled solon Teves has concluded.

Decision  concerning  extradition is expected to be promulgated before  end of June.

Arnolfo has been in detention in Timor-Leste since March by virtue of  Interpol red list against him. 

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Forfeiture  vs raided POGOs

By J.Lo

“So far, we have taken down eight POGOs… include hospitals that are operating without license… doctors we arrested,  Vietnamese national,  doctor, nurses and pharmacists have no license,” Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission, PAOCC Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said forfeiture cases await all  seized items, properties and equipment from  Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hubs raided by  PAOCC.

Cruz, guest of Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum, said they would file for forfeiture of seized currencies, buildings, gadgets and other equipment once their inventory of evidence from 46 raided POGO buildings in Porac, Pampanga is finished.

“What is alarming here is that they practice medicine and treated even  fugitives…they also have cosmetic surgeons… planted hair… can change  physical looks of  fugitives,” he said.

Cruz said all  raided POGO hubs are equipped with torture rooms, cubicles for prostitution and rooms for scamming activities.

“We confiscated thousands of pre-registered SIM cards…also bloodstains in  rooms,  indicate  they were torturing people… fugitives have assumed names and drivers licenses and other IDs,” he said.

Cruz said they confiscated 100 grams of suspected shabu.

One POGO worker and Chinese national told them  he was tortured for failing to meet  quota of P5 million to P8 million per day, Cruz said.

“Torture victim told us that they were beaten with baton and other torture equipment…they are not also allowed to use their cellphone, which will cost them P10,000 fine if caught,” he said.

Cruz also said  one of the Chinese nationals they arrested, identified as Wu Li Feng, turned out to be  “enforcer of torture” among POGO’s foreign and local workers.

“He was browsing his cellphone when we arrested him…he did not show any nervousness while we were questioning him and during his arrest…his cellphone contains  photos of  POGO workers that were tortured… photos even included mine, when we checked, we were informed that Wu Ling Feng’s crimes include violent crimes…he appeared to be well trained in torture and he is vain…he was very relaxed during  interrogation,” Cruz said.

PAOCC has already spent about P35 million to P40 million since it started its campaign against  illegal operations of POGOs nationwide, according to Cruz.

“We really want to put a stop to POGOs operations,” he said.

Cruz said  PAOCC expenditures do not only cover raids of hubs but also for  deportation of foreign criminals working for POGO.

“We also need to protect our witnesses because they could easily be bought or killed,” he said.

National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) director Ricardo de Leon meanwhile said his agency is also validating all information, including  angle that POGOs may have been China’s “Trojan horse” referring to Greek mythology that led to  fall of Troy.

“On Trojan horse, we continue to validate…we cannot say yet that they are capable,” De Leon said.

Cruz said  one of the equipment confiscated during  POGO raid in Pasay City was communication equipment with foreign characters,  experts said may have been used to directly communicate with China.

De Leon said this equipment, as well as other pieces of evidence, are being subjected to forensic examination.

“NICA is coordinating with our intelligence counterpart in other countries for experts to intervene,” De Leon said.

Philippine National Police (PNP) said it is too early to say if  illegal POGO hub in Pampanga is involved in espionage.

PNP chief information officer Col. Jean Fajardo said investigators have yet to secure evidence that would show  people inside  raided compound were spying on the country’s government facilities.

Fajardo said  hundreds of computers, cellphones and gadgets seized from  POGO hub have yet to be examined as police will still have to apply for  warrant to examine computer data from  court.

PAOCC also found what appeared to be military uniforms from  People’s Liberation Army,  armed wing of Chinese Communist Party, during the raid. They also found  Chinese military sergeant badge,  handgun and several bullets.

Fajardo said  Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is investigating if  uniforms and those who wore them are indeed connected with Chinese military.

Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said  presence of Chinese military uniforms may likely be used as props in these illicit online transactions.  Limited  number of PLA uniforms found suggests they are more indicative of use in deceptive activities rather than any preparation for invasion.

Meanwhile Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said that while not yet  national security threat, POGO sites in the country are now  national security concern.

“Concern is that we should stop these syndicated criminal activities operating out of our base, which weaken our financial standing, our country ratings… corrupt our society,” he said in  statement.

De Leon said it is up to  policymakers whether to ban or to just regulate POGO operations in the country.

“We are calling on our policymakers to review POGO…are we gaining or losing the war because it is affecting the youth… policymakers are the ones making  laws…we gather inputs which we provide to our leaders,” De Leon said.

Speaker Martin Romualdez has expressed openness to existence of POGO in the country, but issued  stern reminder that all Philippine laws must be strictly adhered to the letter. 

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Canada inmates relocated as hundreds flee wildfires

By Nidz Godino

Hundreds  of people  including 225 inmates from  maximum security prison has been evacuated wildfires hit eastern Canada.

Federal  penitentiary in Port-Cartier, about 500 kilometers (300 miles) north of Quebec City, was ordered evacuated along with about 1,000 local residents over, and 750 workers at  hydroelectric dam in Labrador further north.

In  statement, correctional services commissioner Anne Kelly said prison was closed and inmates “were successfully moved from  affected area to other secure federal correctional facilities.”

Prison  has housed some of the nation’s most notorious criminals including several serial killers.

Local  state of emergency was declared  as wildfires menaced town of Port-Cartier.

Hundreds of workers at  massive hydroelectric plant in Churchill Falls also remained displaced  after fleeing advancing fires earlier this week.

Plant  provides power to province of Newfoundland, neighboring Quebec and other jurisdictions.

Fire  “remains threat to  community,” Newfoundland Premier Andrew Furey told  news conference, but it has been “largely contained” to opposite shores of  river from  plant.

Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro boss Jennifer Williams said  skeleton crew remained behind to keep  generating plant working.

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‘Urgent’, Australia to protect Great Barrier Reef — UNESCO

By Nidz Godino

“Urgent and sustained action is of utmost priority,” Australia must take “urgent” action to protect  Great Barrier Reef, including setting more ambitious climate targets,  UN’s cultural organization has warned.

In  draft decision, UNESCO also asked Australia to submit  update on protection efforts early next year, but stopped short of recommending  reef be placed on its list of endangered heritage sites.

Decision, was welcomed by Australia’s Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek as a “huge win”.

“We are acting on climate change, improving local water quality, protecting our marine life, dealing with invasive species, and investing  record amount of money into reef programs,” she said in a statement.

But  UNESCO decision, which will guide  meeting of  World Heritage Committee in New Delhi next month, warns  world’s largest coral system “remains under serious threat.”

Fate  of  reef has been  recurrent source of tension between UNESCO and Australian authorities, with World Heritage Committee threatening to put world’s largest coral system on its list of “in danger” global heritage sites.

Behind–scenes diplomacy and lobbying from Australia have avoided such  move and commitments from  Labour government of Anthony Albanese have drawn praise from  Paris-based organization.

Draft  decision welcomed some of the steps taken by Australia, including on water quality around  reef and restrictions on gill-net fishing.

But it expressed “high concern” about land clearing threatening water quality, and said Australia should “set more ambitious emission reduction targets.”

Citing  ongoing mass bleaching of  reef, it asked for  update by next February, rebuffing Australia’s request to wait until 2026.

It also urged Australia to make public “as soon as possible” details on reef mortality rates in  latest round of bleaching.

Plibersek said UNESCO had recognized Australian efforts to protect  reef.

“Today’s draft decision is  huge win for Queensland,  huge win for thousands of people who rely on  reef for work, and  huge win for all  plants and animals that call it home,” she said.

Environmental groups, however, said UNESCO decision should be  “wake-up call”.

“UNESCO has asked Australia to set more ambitious climate targets, and given us  February 2025 deadline to submit  progress report  clock is ticking,” said Greenpeace Australia Pacific CEO David Ritter.

World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia also released new images  showing bleached and dead coral on the reef.

Group  urged Australia to commit to  federal emissions reduction target of at least 90 percent below 2005 levels by 2035 and to stop approving new fossil fuel projects.

Australia currently targets reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.

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Air pollution linked to nearly 2k child deaths a day 

By Nidz Godino

“These are problems

we know that we can solve,” Pallavi Pant, the Health Effects Institute’s head of global health, said nearly 2,000 children die every day from health problems linked to air pollution,  now second biggest risk factor for early death worldwide.

Exposure to air pollution contributed to  deaths of 8.1 million people  around 12% of all fatalities  in 2021, according to the report from the US-based Health Effects Institute.

This means air pollution has overtaken tobacco use and poor diet to become  second leading risk factor for early death, behind only high blood pressure, it said.

Little kids are particularly vulnerable to air pollution, and  institute partnered with  UN Children’s Fund UNICEF for its annual State of Global Air report.

Air pollution contributed to  deaths of more than 700,000 children under  age of five, the report found.

More than 500,000 of those deaths were attributed to cooking indoors using dirty fuels such as coal, wood or dung, mostly in Africa and Asia.

Nearly every person in the world breathes unhealthy levels of air pollution every day, the report found.

Over 90% of  deaths were linked to tiny airborne pollutants called PM2.5, measure 2.5 micrometres or less, it said.

Inhaling PM2.5 has been found to increase  risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes and  range of other health problems.

Report  aimed to link  rates of such diseases with air pollution levels.

But despite  “pretty stark” figures,  report could still be underestimating air pollution’s impact, Pant said.

It did not take into account how air pollution could affect brain health, neurodegenerative diseases or what impact using solid fuels for heating could have, she explained.

Report  also found that ozone pollution  expected to get worse as  world warms due to human-driven climate change  was linked to nearly 500,000 deaths in 2021.

“Increasingly, many parts of the world are seeing very short, intense episodes of air pollution,” during events such as wildfires, dust storms or extreme heat, which can drive up ozone levels, Pant said.

There are “very similar solutions” for both climate change and air pollution  particularly reducing greenhouse gas emissions, she stressed.

More can also be done about using dirty solid fuels for cooking indoors, Pant said, pointing to how China had made significant improvements in this area.

More than two billion people cook on basic stoves or over open fires indoors, inhaling  harmful smoke.

Partly due to access to cleaner cookstoves,  rate of small children dying from problems linked to air pollution has fallen by more than 50% since 2000, the report said.

In May,  International Energy Agency announced that $2.2 billion had been pledged by governments and companies to improve access to less deadly cooking methods.

Report  released Wednesday used data covering more than 200 countries and territories from  Global Burden of Disease study conducted by  US-based Institute For Health Metrics and Evaluation.

“Every day almost 2,000 children under five years die because of health impacts linked to air pollution,” UNICEF’s Kitty van der Heijden said in  statement.

“Our inaction is having profound effects on the next generation.”

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Teves to appeal extradition order

By Nidz Godino

“According to expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. Timor-Leste lawyers, process is still ongoing…and that there is  principle in their law that says  if there is  pending political asylum application, notwithstanding any extradition request,  person cannot be extradited because it would render  application for political asylum moot and academic,” expelled Negros Oriental congressman Arnolfo Teves Jr. legal counsel Ferdinand Topacio, he will appeal  extradition order issued against him by  Court of Appeals of Timor-Leste.

“Judgment is still appealable,  recourse that we have every intention of taking… then we still have  option of political asylum,” Topacio said in a text message to reporters.

Topacio made  statement after  Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed  country’s request for extradition against Teves had been granted by  Timorese court.

Topacio said they have 30 days from notice to appeal  decision based on Article 300 of  Code of Civil Procedure of Timor-Leste.

Topacio also claimed that Teves “cannot be extradited yet” while his request for political asylum in Timor-Leste is pending.

However, at  separate press conference,  DOJ said  motion for reconsideration filed by  camp of Teves for political asylum had already been denied.

“Political asylum was the first recourse that was availed of by former congressman Teves… denied,” DOJ Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said.

“They filed for  motion for reconsideration, this was denied as well…so to our minds, as lawyers, that is the end of the rope for that particular aspect,” he stressed.

DOJ also expressed confidence that  appeal to be filed by Teves on his extradition order would be denied by  Timorese court.

While in Timor-Leste, Vasquez added that Timorese authorities could arrest Teves as an “undocumented alien.”

He noted, however, that arresting Teves would be  policy decision on the part of Timor-Leste authorities.

“Once he is arrested, he will not be arrested because of  extradition proceedings but because of his being undocumented…and what would be his status…he would be  immigration detainee,” Vasquez explained.

Vasquez said preparations are underway for  eventual return of Teves.

Meanwhile, Pamplona Mayor Janice Degamo said Teves should expect more criminal cases to be filed against him once he is brought back to the country.

Degamo, widow of slain Negros Oriental governor Roel Degamo, said more victims of Teves’ alleged atrocities are willing to come out and file charges against  lawmaker once he is put in jail.

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Mobile  phones in sensitive military zones banned

By J.Lo

“Device-free policy not only safeguards classified information, but also ensures  operational integrity of critical military infrastructure,”  Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has banned electronic devices in sensitive military environments as part of enhanced security measures aimed at protecting itself and critical information.

AFP announced  it is “implementing stringent device-free policy strategically designed to fortify  protection of classified information and critical infrastructure, ensuring robust defense against potential threats.”

Military is restricting  presence of electronic devices in sensitive environments, which “significantly reduces vulnerabilities to cyber espionage and unauthorized access.”

“AFP is dedicated to enhancing its capabilities and measures to confront traditional and non-traditional security challenges effectively,”  military said.

AFP has also called on public to be vigilant against disinformation campaigns aimed at eroding  public’s trust in the country’s military institution and government.

“These efforts seek to sow panic, divide our nation and distract us from pressing issues that demand our collective attention, in these trying times, it is crucial for every Filipino to remain vigilant and critical of  information they encounter and share,” AFP chief, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., said.

AFP statement is apparently in reaction to online and social media pages that have been monitored to share wrong information using old photographs or altered content to misinform  public on defense related issues. 

Brawner said disinformation “not only distorts  truth but also undermines our unity, making us vulnerable to external challenges that threaten our national security and stability.”

He said  AFP urges public to verify sources and seek information from credible and official channels and stand together in the face of what he described as desperate attempts to spread discord.

Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is taking seriously  reports on GCash data breach, CICC executive director Alexander Ramos said.

As  initial step, CICC officials led by Ramos met  with  executives of GCash,  largest mobile payments service, to shed light on  reported data breach.

Ramos,  met  GCash executives at  National Cybercrime hub in Bonifacio Global City,  wants  transparent assessment of reported data breach allegedly involving GCAsh.

“We take seriously  alleged data breach and have asked GCash to provide information on veracity of  contents being published or reported,” Ramos said.

Ramos also said GCash has reported  working round the clock to check  contents and committed to allow  deeper probe on alleged attack.