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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Many PH institutions compromised' by hackers — Amb. Romualdez

'Many PH institutions compromised' by hackers — Amb. Romualdez

Published Aug 22, 2023 05:33 am

US experts are coming to the Philippines to assess the country's risk against hackers amid reports that many of the country's institutions are now compromised and that cyberspace is being used to sow division, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel "Babe" Romualdez said Tuesday, August 22.

Romualdez said the US would send some of its experts to "first assess the situation" and "give us a complete picture on exactly how far this is becoming."

"And what's more important is that we are going to be given or we will have to decide on the solutions that are going to be offered to us," he said in an interview with ANC.

"That is really very important for us to do, to try to minimize any kind of penetration coming from other sources," he added.

Romualdez said he was warned by intelligence community not only in Washington but also in Manila that plans are afoot to conduct "some operations" against several personalities, including himself, in view of  President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s successful visit to the US and the announcement of new Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the Philippines that would deter various threats in the Indo-Pacific.

In particular, he cited the demonstration—an apparently staged one—that happened in Manila to call out Vietnam's supposed militarization in the South China Sea, which coincided with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo's visit to Hanoi.

The demonstration happened at about the same time Manalo would be meeting his counterpart in Hanoi—which proved "precisely, they were able to hack our system, they were able to get enough information in advance that this was going to happen," Romualdez said.

"That's precisely trying to make it look like there's a discord between our allies and friends," he said as the Philippines has had good relations with Vietnam, although the latter is also a claimant of the South China Sea.

He also cited a case where a certain "Mario" reached out to media outlets, including Manila Bulletin, to allege that Romualdez was being recalled as ambassador due to supposed bribery and corrupt practices. Mario sent a purported memorandum of the said recall order.

Manalo already ordered an investigation into the matter as the DFA system might also be compromised.

Romualdez warned that "many of our institutions are severely compromised by the cyber situation that we're facing right now." Hackers can now get into various systems to spread false information as well as control the people, he added.

Romualdez, who is currently in Manila, said he is set to meet Marcos within the next few days to discuss the matter "extensively."

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