The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) is expected to summon about 30 persons to shed light on the “hacking” of depositors’ accounts with Banco de Oro (BDO) last December.

NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor said the NBI’s Cyber Crime Division (NBI-CCD) has already identified who these individuals are, the NBI said in a statement.

Five suspects – two Nigerians and three Filipinos – have been arrested. Four of them, excluding one Nigerian whose charges are still under investigation by government prosecutors, have been charged before the trial courts.

“Distor stressed that a follow up investigation and actions are now being undertaken to identify and unmask Subjects’ cohorts,” the NBI said.

It also said that “Distor has vowed to pursue the investigation of hacking incidents not only of BDO but other banks as well until all the perpetrators are brought to justice and the stolen money are properly accounted for.”

Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra has issued a directive for the NBI to investigate phishing schemes that reportedly victimized teachers with accounts at the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

“Our Agents from the Cyber Crime Division are now coordinating with the LBP Representatives for their initial investigation. Although in their statement, they clarified that there was no hacking that took place and their systems remain to be secured,” the NBI said.

Teacher-victims are expected to file their formal complaints, it said.

The DOJ’s Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC) has described phishing, along with vishing and smishing, as “forms of cybercrimes in which the perpetrator posing as a legitimate institution, such as a bank, online payment site, or an online commerce site, devises a message through electronic, phone call, or text message” with the objective “to lure individuals into providing sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and usernames and passwords.”